


No Longer A Game

by Here_To_Be



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dragon Age: Inquisition Spoilers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, I'm Bad At Tagging, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Modern Girl in Thedas, Slow Burn, Solas is Fen'Harel (Dragon Age), Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, and i can't freaking wait for her to find out, and if the last two were not evidence enough, because I just cant stop, it's too much fun to write these, sorry...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:21:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 286,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23203861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Here_To_Be/pseuds/Here_To_Be
Summary: The Conclave is gone, The Breach in its place. Where there should have been a beacon of peace and hope there is only a source of death and destruction. Thedas is at a tipping point, the end of the beginning, and despite the many people desperately searching for answers, no one knows what the coming days will bring.Well, almost no one.Felicity Maria Pennel- general nerd and video game enthusiast- finds herself in a world she's only ever seen on her computer. How she got there and what she is meant to do are questions that easily get pushed to the back of her mind when she suddenly has to focus on surviving in a world quite unlike anything she's ever experienced.
Relationships: Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford, Solas (Dragon Age)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 684
Kudos: 464





	1. Chapter 1

She opens her eyes as a massive gulp of air is sucked into her lungs. It's cold, nearly freezing, and everything is sore, but all that is pushed to the back of her mind as her eyes lock onto something she'd only ever seen on a computer screen.

The Breach, still in full swing hanging in the sky. Magic is still spewing from the tear in the veil, demons, rocks, and Maker only knows what else crashing into what remains of the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

And, while Felicity feels quite a lot of fear because all of this feels just a bit too real, she can't stop the excitement welling up right alongside that terror. Here she is in one of her favorite video games, she'll be damned if she doesn't take advantage of it while this dream lasts. The first thing she needs to do, though, is find some proper clothes. It's just started to turn to autumn back home, her current attire not only looks out of place style-wise, but it is entirely useless against the bitter cold of the Frostback Mountains.

It takes only a glance around for Felicity to figure out where she is. The cabins by the frozen lake, demons would be there for the Herald and gang to face, but for now, it is clear, and she needs to raid what's left to find some Fereldan appropriate clothing. There are trousers and a shirt, both a little larger on her, but she'll make do. In one of the chests, there is a well-worn jacket and an old dagger. Felicity picks up both when she hears the impact of demons colliding into the ice and the shouts of fighting. The door flies open, Felicity eager to see who the Herald was, but before she can gather any information, she comes face to face with a wraith. The only tangible part of it was the mangled bones of a humanoid skull and torso; the rest of it just a sickly green goo and smoke. It screams, the sound unearthly and terrifying, and Felicity can only stand there as the demon raises its arms to attack.

Before it can release the deadly spell, though, it is turned to ice. The sudden change is enough to snap Felicity out of it and, while moving of its own accord, her right arm lashes out with the dagger, burying it right into its eye socket. It shatters, frozen chunks hitting the ground before dissipating into nothing.

"Are you crazy?! What are you doing out here?" Varric is the first to reach her, and all she can do is laugh, bemused by the entire situation. This all feels too real to be a dream, and if this is real then she can die. She's not used to feeling this mortal. "...Yeah, she's in shock." For some reason, that's the funniest thing Felicity has ever heard, not that she has a clue as to why.

"We cannot leave her here; she will be killed." Solas is next to reach her, concern in his eyes, and Felicity feels bad for never getting to know the elf in her playthroughs, he has such a soothing voice. Cassandra has no such concerns, though, and she shoves the elf and dwarf back, leveling her sword at Felicity's throat.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?!" The cold metal nicking her neck isn't enough to stop her laughing, but tears start to pour down her cheeks. She's afraid for her life, knowing full well what Cassandra can do when agitated like this, and she can't stop laughing! That may actually be worse than the blade at her neck! Felicity doesn't notice how badly she's shaking until Solas moves Cassandra away and rests his hands on her shoulders. His grip is steady but not bruising, he mumbled a few words, magic flowing from his lips and washing over her. Finally, the laughter dies down, leaving only choked off sobs as the fear finally takes the driver's seat.

"Back off Seeker, she's hardly a threat." Varric rolls his eyes, he should have expected something like this from her.

"She could-"

"Not this again." The soon to be Herald moves to the group looking down at where Felicity had fallen. She glances up, relieved to be looking at the first Inquisitor she's ever made. Acacia Lavellan, a witty and kind elven mage.

"So many elves, I'm starting to feel out of place." Varric tries to laugh, but the atmosphere is still too tense to come off believable. As nonchalantly as she can, which is not at all really, Felicity reaches up to casually brush her hair back and confirms her suspicion. Gone are the rounded tops of her ears, instead she finds long slopes leading to delicate points.

"Oh my…" Felicity mumbles, feeling faint again. This is too much all at once, she's going to need a moment… or more.

"Who-" Cassandra tries to start again, but Solas cuts her off, helping Felicity to stand again.

"This can wait until we reach the forward camp, Seeker." Cassandra makes a noise of disgust- the same as the game!- and Felicity wants to laugh again. But, knowing she doesn't need any more of the Seeker's disapproval, she manages to hold it in.

Acacia leads the wait with Cassandra, Solas, and Varric on either side of Felicity as they follow. They don't get far before more demons fall from the sky, a great many more than she remembers from the game. Five shades and two wraiths all turn towards them.

"Keep back, stay down," Varric shouts as he starts firing bolt after bolt at the demons. Felicity doesn't need to be told twice, quickly scrambling to get behind a nearby boulder. It takes little time before the small group is overwhelmed, attacks coming from all sides. Felicity peeks over her barrier to watch, amazed at how well they fight as a group, even so early on.

But not perfect, not yet.

She hears the telltale scream of a terror, watching as it disappears off in the distance, getting ready to attack the cluster of heroes. They are already beat up, and far too preoccupied with the onslaught to notice the green magic beneath their feet. Acacia can't die so soon, especially not when no one can revive her. With more desperation than she's ever felt, Felicity races around the boulder, the terror's spiky tail just breaking the surface near Solas' feet. Varric dodges a shades attack and fires another bolt, moving outside of the danger radius, and Cassandra is away taunting everything in sight. Just the mages to worry about. Both Acacia and Solas are shocked when they see her, even more so when Felicity shoves them with all her strength. Had she not caught them off guard she doubts she'd have done much, but thank the Maker she had the element of surprise.

Not a moment after they are pushed, does the terror demon leap up with a horrifying screech. Felicity is knocked into the air as well, the demon lashing out at her with its claws and sending her slamming back to the ground. It throws its head back, screaming again, and Felicity feels her body freezing up for a second, paralyzed by its magic. The demon's attention falls to where the mages are trying to recover, but she isn't going to have any of that.

"You leave them alone, you pissant!" Felicity surprises herself with how strong and sure she sounds as she is quite sure she's bleeding out, further amazing herself when the rock she throws actually hits its mark. The terror bends backward, twisting unnaturally until it's looming over Felicity. "Gotcha." She smiles, adrenaline washing the fear and pain away, and she jabs the dagger up into its bony chest. It swipes at her again, sending her flying into the snow, but she'd bought enough time. Magic blasts into it, sending it's scattered pieces back to the Fade.

The rest of the fight doesn't take long, not that Felicity can really focus; in fact, she can barely breathe. Punctured a lung or two, she guesses, not to mention bleeding out faster than she thought possible, all the warmth leaving her body and soaking into the snow. It was nice while it lasted, though she wishes she'd been able to see more before she wakes up back in her own body that is sure to be in a hospital after the car wreck. Everything starts to blur, the twisting green magic of the Breach almost pretty hanging above them. Two faces block it out, though it takes a moment to recognize who it is.

"Solas, Varric… Hello." She smiles, or at least she thinks she does, it all gets kind of numb. "That was pretty cool, right? Neat… plot twist." Felicity coughs, trying to raise her hands to cover her mouth and stop the blood from splattering, but they don't want to listen to her anymore. "Sorry… I'm making a mess."

"Shit, what were you thinking, kid?"

"Too soon… can't die…" Her gaze lands on Solas and then finds Acacia standing right behind him.

"You will not die here, da'len." Solas uses what little remains of his mana to try and start healing, brow lowering in frustration when little happens.

"Don't know what… what that means. Sounds nice though. _You_ sound nice, should have listened more." Her words slur together and confuse everyone who hears, but she doesn't care. With a sigh, she closes her eyes, unable to listen to their shouts and demands that she open her eyes, focus, stay with them.

The next playthrough, she'll have to give the elven apostate a chance…

~~~~~

"You have strange dreams, da'len." Felicity, who's been content sitting on a park bend watching the brightly colored leaves of autumn fall on passers-by, merely gives her visitor a nod. She's always liked people watching, especially when those people were walking dogs who wanted to say hello to everyone.

"I still don't know what that means, though I feel like I should."

"Little one." She snorts, taking a long sip of the hot chocolate that comes out of nowhere. Felicity stands with a sign, stretching out tired legs and turns to find her dream version of Solas.

"I'm not that small." Her voice seems to echo as her dream changes, though she's too busy walking closer to him to compare their height to notice the Fade shifting. When she stands next to him and has to tilt her head back to look in his eyes she giggles. "Okay, well, maybe compared to a giant like you!" A corner of his mouth tips up in a slight smile, but that's all he gives away.

"You have been unconscious for several days now, I thought it time to wake you up, the Herald is quite worried." 

"Tell her I say hi, cause I'm going home." She smiles up at her eyes, closing as she feels herself wake up.

"You may tell her yourself in a moment." Felicity doesn't see the slight confusion on his face, but he sees it cross hers just as they wake.

Felicity blinks up at the cabin ceiling, as she wakes, noting the worried face of Acacia hovering over hers. But when she realizes that Felicity's eyes are open for good, her whole face breaks into a smile.

"I'm so glad you're awake! We feared you'd lost too much blood to recover despite the magic and potions we'd used." The Herald continues to chatter on, but Felicity can't really focus on that. She glances from Acacia to Solas, then around the cabin, only to end up looking back at the ceiling.

"Huh." Is all she can muster, having been sure she'd wake up back on Earth.

"I'm so glad there's another Elven mage too! The Chantry can't do away with all of us." Acacia giggles some more, and Felicity, trying not to seem too confused, opens her mouth to speak.

"Who else is there?" She doesn't like the silence that follows her question, both other parties in the room looking at her like she's crazy.

"... It is you, da'len." Solas' voice, as calm as ever, is now laced with worry. The emotion jumping to fill the rest of his face when Felicity nearly flies up from the bed.

"I have magic?!" So many emotions are already cluttering up her mind, this just adds a handful more to the mix. "Seriously?"

"You are a mage, of course, you have magic." Acacia takes a step back at her outburst, concern etched into her face as well.

"I've never had magic before." Felicity stares at her hands, searching within her for something that feels different, new, but nothing jumps out to her. The other mages glance at each other, worried about what the strange woman's reaction would be. They both know how mages are viewed, especially now of all times. "That's so cool!" Felicity's big smile sets them both at ease if a bit more curious than before.

"You are saying you weren't a mage until the Breach?"

"Yeah, I guess. Oh, what can I cast?"

"I'm… not sure. I suppose we will find out but," Acacia cuts off, worry creasing her brow once again. "An untrained mage at a time like this here of all places isn't safe."

"Worse if we just abandon her."

"I know, I'm just saying maybe we don't spread the news to the world just yet of her newfound powers. Cullen already doesn't like us staying here so close to the Breach." Acacia has begun pacing the small cabin, Solas and Felicity left to watch her go back and forth.

"Can you teach me magic?"

"I mean, I'd like to, but I'm a pretty bad teacher." Acacia's face colors as she remembers all the times she'd tried to teach back with her clan only to have things end in disaster. Both women turn their eyes to Solas, who, after a moment of consideration, nods.

"Ma nuvenin. I would, however, like to know who exactly I am teaching."

"Oh, right!" She shimmies herself to the edge of the bed, hand outstretched for a greeting. "My name is Felicity."

"What clan are you from, how did you get some far on your own?"

"No clan."

"A city elf, then?"

"Um, yeah, kinda, I guess."

"What were you doing at the Conclave?"

"I've no idea!" Felicity giggles. "I just kind of showed up."

"Herald!" A voice from outside the cozy cabin shouts, and the elf just rolls her eyes.

"Yes?"

"The Commander is asking for you, some new reports came in from the Hinterlands, and he'd like to go over them with you."

"We'll go as well, I doubt Felicity is familiar with Haven." It's not really a question, but he glances at her anyways. Felicity nods in agreement, deciding to keep her knowledge a secret, at least for now. People here already have enough reason to be suspicious of her, no need to add more fuel to the fire. "Do you feel well enough to walk?"

"Oh yeah, I'll be fine!" She chirps, hopping to her feet before nearly collapsing to the floor as pain suddenly floods her senses.

"You rush too much, take it slower." Solas helps her back to her feet, passing her his mages staff to lean on. With a nod to Acacia, they are off, walking through frozen Haven. Both Solas and Acacia point out essential places to remember, the bathhouse, the kitchens, the tavern, the Chantry, and such, as well as the people to avoid. The more racist merchants and the mage hating civilians and such. Commander Cullen is outside the wall of Haven overlooking the recruit's training, occasionally stopping to show them what they're doing wrong and how to fix it. When Cullen turns and sees Acacia standing there, all of them just watching him, red rushes up to flush his cheeks.

"H-Herald! I did not- I mean- thank you for coming so quickly." Felicity smiles fondly at the awkward ex-Templar, he'd always been her first choice for romance, and despite the fact that there were so many other options, she'd picked him every chance she could. Iron Bull had been weird but fun, and Josephine was adorable, but in her last play through he'd been trying to pick between Blackwall and Solas, but Cullen just kept popping up. Felicity casts a sideways glance to the elven apostate, feeling bad once again for never really giving him a chance. Though maybe she'll get to know him better now.

"She's the one that saved Solas and me from the terror!" She is suddenly pulled forward, and only Solas' quick reflexes in steadying the staff keep Felicity upright.

"Really? That's…. Um, well, unexpected to be honest." Cullen looks her over, clearly coming to the conclusion everyone else had. 

Not a threat.

"For you and me both, Commander." They all laugh along with her, Cullen cutting off short when she suddenly steps closer. "Do you have a headache?" Cullen blanches, trying to think of an excuse or a story, frantically wondering how this girl knew when he'd been hiding it well. After a moment of awkward silence, he nods.

"How-"

"You have this pinched look right here." She taps a finger between his eyebrows and just over his nose. "My brother used to do the same when he had a headache, so I thought I'd ask. Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure how to help with it, he'd never let me." _And I doubt you guys have a pharmacy with Advil and the like here in Thedas._

"I've something that might help! My clan's keeper makes this potion with elf root extract that works wonders. If you like, I'll bring you some later!" Cullen's gaze softens as he stares at Acacia, a glint of hope sparking at the possibility of relief from his constant pain.

"Thank you, I'd appreciate it." They both look like they want to say more, though how they can be this smitten already is beyond Felicity.

"We will leave you two to discuss the reports, there is still more I would like to show our newest recruit." Without waiting for a response, Solas leads Felicity off to the side.

"They've both got it bad, how sappy!" She snickers, pleased when Solas also chuckles.

"You were not there for it, but when we charged to the Breach with the soldiers and met the Commander for the first time, she got so flustered she hit herself with her staff in the middle of the fight."

"So awkward! They're made for each other, clearly. If I did that, I don't think I'd be brave enough to be on the same continent as him, much less talk to him."

"You do not think yourself brave?"

"Hell no," She laughs, but Solas stops walking, turning to look at her with serious eyes. "Not brave, not strong, not charismatic, not wise. My D&D stats would be pretty low all around." Felicity had kept walking, not noticing Solas stopping as she laughs at herself. It's only when his hand lands on her shoulder that she stops, falling silent as she waits for him to speak his mind.

"You do not give yourself enough credit, da'len, cowards would not jump into a terror attack." It's now Felicity's turn to stand in confused silence, but she's never been good at that.

"No, but an idiot would." She tries again to laugh, to get away from the serious topic of her self-esteem, to keep the barriers up, but to no avail. Never in her life has she been good at taking compliments, it seems like this new life will be no different.

"You should befriend Varric, you have a similar sense of humor." Something now seems off to Felicity as Solas speaks, the elf suddenly distant and cold.

She did not like that at all.

"I'm sorry!" She blurts out, face flushing red from embarrassment. Of course, the first interaction with him one on one she'd piss him off and offend him. Words and people-ing were never her strong suit, times like these made those faults painfully obvious. "I'm sorry, and thank you. I'm not good at this, and I didn't mean to offend you."

"Whether you like it or not, you saved lives, mine, and the Heralds. Neither of us takes that lightly, and you should not either."

"I know, but it wasn't like I did it for recognition or thanks. I just… I just did it. You guys couldn't die there."

"But you could?"

"Better me than you, trust me."

"That would make sense now, after the fact, and most people would agree with your logic. But at the moment, you had no way of knowing she possessed the power to seal rifts, that she - or any of us- were important." _Oh, but I do know. I know exactly who you all are and how important it is that the Inquisition succeeds._ Felicity thinks quietly to herself, all while trying to school her features to give nothing away.

"It was easy to know you guys were special, so much shiny armor and nice weapons." She is so focused on trying to make sure she gives nothing away about her knowledge of the future that she doesn't notice Solas leading them off into the forests surrounding Haven. The very quiet, very secluded forest.

"You said to me you should have listened more, what did you mean?" There was suspicious in his eyes, though no ill intent lingered in their depths.

"Uh…" Never has she been good at thinking up lies, especially not on her feet with so much at stake, so instead, she just draws out that single syllable until Solas interrupts her. 

"Hmm, as I suspected, you are hiding something, or from something. In the grand scheme of things it matters little so long as your goals remain aligned with that of the Inquisition and its Herald." His tone isn't angry or accusatory, it isn't harsh or manipulative, it's calm and clear and leaves no room for argument.

"It's nothing bad! ...I think… I'm not- I don't know what happened or how to explain how I got here. It's just that I feel like the people here don't need more reasons not to like me. But I'm not bad, I promise!" 

"Exactly what a villain would say, don't you think?" Her gaze leaps to meet his, having been locked on her shaking hands for her desperate explanation, and she watches the telltale spark of mischief dance across the blue-gray depths. _He's teasing me?_ Once again she is slapped in the face with how much she wishes she'd given him a chance in the game, he is clearly more than the bald elven Fade mage. "But, I believe you, you are hardly a threat to anyone here save maybe yourself." _Two can play this game…_

"Mwahaha, my villainous plan is all coming together! They suspect nothing!" Felicity tries to do her best impression of an evil smirk, steepling her fingers to try and get in every evil cliché. She tries again to laugh as evilly as possible, dropping the act when Solas smiles and shakes his head.

"Is that what you think villains laugh like?"

"I mean, let's be real, that's exactly what they sound like, I'd know after all." Solas chuckles, ending with a soft little snort Felicity immediately loves and begins to lead them back to Haven.

"Do try to keep your dastardly plans to a minimum, da'len."

"I make no promises, I do what I want. How do you say 'tall one' in elvish? I think it's an unfair balance of power here." He chuckles again but makes no answer. "Fine, don't tell me, I'll figure it out myself."

"Ma nuvenin, da'len."

"You and your fancy elvish, just you wait mister, I'll catch on, and then you'll be shit out of luck."

"Until you can control your newfound abilities, it would be wise if you stayed near the Herald or me so we might minimize any… complications that might arise. She-"

"Solas! I'm glad I found you. Mistress Lavellan is heading to the Hinterlands, we thought it best if she took some people with her. Cassandra and Varric offered, I'd hoped you'd join them as well?" The Ambassador, even shinier in person if that was possible, phrases the statement as a question, but her tone indicates it's a given, and she'll be displeased at any refusal. Solas, though, takes it all in stride, offering her a polite smile in return.

"Of course, Ambassador Montiliyet, I would be honored. I would ask that Lady Felicity join us. She shows great potential."

"I will make the necessary arrangements, rest assured. I believe you will be leaving tomorrow morning, though we have no mounts to send you on as of yet." A sore point for Josephine if her expression is anything to go by.

"We will be fine, it is not that far of a journey."

"Even so, we must reconcile this mistake. The Inquisition cannot fall short of any standard if we are to succeed." Both Solas and Felicity not in agreement; the road was going to be hard enough as is. 

Josephine sweeps off in a flurry of gold ruffles when she spots a man in some fancy armor, and before Solas can lead them anywhere else, Felicity begins to walk back to the cabin. Her head is swirling endlessly as she tries to remember as much of the dreaded Hinterlands as possible. Without a doubt, it would be better for her to stay near Acacia and Solas until Felicity can control her new magic, but right now, the Hinterlands are a mess, and she has no real way of defending herself. She waits until both of them are in the cabin with the door shut to voice her concerns.

"Normally I would agree with you, but an untrained mage with no concept of how to control her magic this close to a huge tear in the Veil is a much bigger threat than the rebels currently accosting the Hinterlands."

"But what about the bears? And bandits? **_And bears_** _?!_ "

"You think the Herald cannot handle some bandits and bears?" _Mostly the bears! They've killed my poor Inquisitors more times than I can count!_

"Well, she probably can, but I sure as shit can't!"

"Yet. With training though, I think you will surprise yourself. We will begin training on the road, it will give you plenty of time to practice control." One thought has been bothering her the whole day, though, and before she can debate the merits of voicing it, she just spits out the question.

"Why are you helping me, Solas? Surely there must be more important tasks to take care of."

"Indeed, but it is not as though I will be teaching you 24/7." He stops there and Felicity, believing the conversation over, tries to quell the anxious thoughts bubbling up. "And you have a light, a spark. We have lost enough to the Breach, the chaos it caused need not take more from this world."

_Oh my…_


	2. Chapter 2

Felicity helps Solas pack, or at least she tries to, but the clutter is too much for her to handle, and soon he makes her sit still and wait for him to finish. If she is to join them, she'll need some clothes and some kind of armor, at the very least. Try as she might to deny the need, her torn and tattered coat and ill-fitting shirt and pants make Solas roll his eyes. It gets worse when she has to tell him she has no money.

"I expected as much, I-"

"Solas, I'll be fine! You don't need to spend your hard-earned money on me. I'm sure I'll find something in the Hinterlands, as bad as it sounds, but some corpse will have something that'll fit me."

"You are most likely correct, but you will walk yourself out of your pants long before we get there."

"I will not! I can just… just sew them a little smaller! Just give me a needle and thread-" To her surprise, Solas holds them out to her, one eyebrow raised expectantly. She snatches them away, wiggling out of her pants to begin working. The old shirt she wears falls to the middle of her thighs, only furthering Solas point that she needed something else to wear. Felicity focuses' on the task before her, grinning victoriously when she finally gets the thread through the needle. The hard part is next as she has no earthly idea what she's doing as she bunches some of the fabric together. The third time she pricks her fingers, Solas takes the garment away from her.

"Hey, I-"

"You have no idea what you are doing, da'len, soon there will be more of your blood in these pants than fabric." Shame colors her cheeks and she sits in silence as he makes quick work of sewing. "These will be passable until we find you something else." Felicity slips back into the pants, nodding in agreement as she tests the waist. Just as she is about to thank him, she's hit in the face with something soft. After momentarily freezing, she holds the fabric up before peeking at the elf behind it.

"...Your shirt?"

"One of them, yes. **I** have several."

"Okay, mister fancy pants, how nice for you. Why did you feel the need to attack me with it?"

"It will fit you better than that filthy top you currently wear, and you will look less like a thief because that shirt clearly belonged to a very large human." It feels weird and far too intimate to wear his clothes, but he has a point. She doesn't need 'thief' added to the growing list of reasons for people to hate her. Solas keeps his back to her, pretending to be busy packing his bag to give her some privacy. He's surprised himself with his actions, but something about her brings out a different side of him.

The soft shirt, almost like a sweater, is still big on her, but not nearly as bad as her previous choice of attire. She pushes the dark green material up to free her hands, immediately wishing she wouldn't have to give it back. It's warm and comfortable, not to mention it smells nice. Like forest and rain and a hint of smoke. The blush on her cheeks doubles back with a vengeance and she acts before she thinks. The old shirt is tossed at the back of Solas' head, and she drops to her knees, facing away from him. She pretends to sort through notes she can't even read as words scramble in her mind, none quite at her mouth yet. Solas spins in surprise and slight outrage, but it all fades away at her soft words shakily spoken.

"Thank you." He can't see her face clearly from this angle, but he can see the bright red tips of her ears. Solas can't stop the quiet chuckle, he doesn't even try.

"You are welcome, da'len."

They work in silence until Felicity's face finally cools, Solas thankfully reading the atmosphere and giving her some space to calm down. She is like a breath of fresh air for him, and he's only known her for a few hours, but she surprises him at every turn. In all likelihood, she would probably continue to do so. Just when the silence is almost comfortable, her stomach growls. Embarrassment flares up again, but she tries to laugh it off this time.

"In my defense, I haven't eaten in a while. The morning of the whole Breach fiasco, the only thing I'd eaten was a biscuit for breakfast and nothing after that."

"Three days since your last meal? I'm surprised your stomach is not louder."

"It's been a crazy couple days, my stomach hasn't been high on my list of priorities."

"Indeed. Lead the way." He motions to the door with a slight smile. "We shall see how well you paid attention earlier." The last of the pain had faded with the healing potion he'd given her, so this time, when she walks from the cabin, she doesn't need his staff as a walking stick. It takes a little time for her to find the building being used as the kitchens for the Inquisition, but the smell of warm food on the air certainly helps.

They sit across from each other, no one else dared to sit near the elven apostate and his friend. Of course, the racism comes as no surprise to Felicity, she just always imagined Haven was better than the rest of the places she'd visit in the game. Maybe with time, it will get better; it had to, right?

"Did they hurt?" Solas asks, eyes landing on her ears.

"Wha- oh, the earrings?" Felicity had always liked her ears pierced, and as she got older she got more. Three black studs line the bottom of each ear, two silver hoops now near the pointed tip of her right ear, and one small diamond stud near the tip of the left. "A little when I first got them, but they healed pretty quick." She absently brushes the hoops, jerking her hand away at the jolt of pleasure. _Elf ears are apparently much more sensitive! Getting piercings would have been a bitch, no wonder he asked._

"I have never seen anything quite like them before."

"Haha, yeah…" Is all she mutters as she takes a big bite of the bread, trying to keep the blush from her newest discovery from tinting her cheeks. _Smooth, Felicity, smooth...._ Solas smirks again, a knowing gleam in his eyes, but doesn't say anything.

"You don't like carrots?" She mumbled, nodding to the growing pile of carrots on his place.

"They are not my favorite, no."

"Have you tried carrot cake?" His nose wrinkles up at the thought, and Felicity nearly falls from her chair laughing. "It's good, I promise."

"I doubt it." She doesn't bother asking before reaching over and picking them off his plate. She chews for a moment before shrugging.

"It'd be better with some garlic, salt, and pepper… maybe some herbs."

"I did not take you for a carrot connoisseur."

"I'm not, but most food is better with garlic and salt."

A more comfortable silence falls over them, Solas passing all further carrots her way as they slowly eat. What started as the occasional whisper becomes normal speaking voices calling both of them several unsavory names. When they begin insinuating Solas is corrupted by demons, and how he would destroy them in their sleep, Felicity stands. It's gone on long enough, someone needs to tell them what for. The chance never comes though, Solas' hand on her wrist stopping her.

"They're being rude! You can't just-"

"It matters little what they think, and nothing you or I could say would change their minds."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try."

"Given some time, I think Acacia will have them changing their tune."

"For her, sure, but what about you?"

"I do not need their approval, da'len." He says it as if he's speaking to an especially slow child, which only grates on her nerves more. Felicity pulls her arm away and quickly stands, frowning angrily down at the bald elf.

"But you deserve the same respect and decent behavior all living creatures do." She turns on her heel, satisfied with Solas' shocked expression, and storms out of the kitchens. As she wanders the frozen wasteland that is Haven, she begins to wonder about the merits of yelling at one of the only friendly faces here in her new life.

"Stupid egg…"

"What's Chuckles done now?"

Her scream tears through Haven, scarring other passers-by. Felicity jumps away from Varric, landing on her ass in the cold snow.

"Makers shit, why are you going around scaring people like that?!" Varric falls over for a completely different reason, laughing his ass off as he too hits the snow. "Stop laughing, you dick!" Felicity starts kicking snow on him, not that it quiets his laughter. The heavy thumping of boots draws her gaze up in time to see Cullen, Rylen, and several recruits rushing up with swords drawn. 

_If I could just wake up now, that'd be ideal._

"What's the matter? Another rift?" Cullen scans the area before his stern gaze lands on the source of the disturbance.

"N-no, it's nothing, V-Va-Varric just snuck up on me. I'm- I am so sorry to have worried you all." Felicity stutters and mumbles, unable to meet anyone's gaze as her face nearly lights itself on fire.

"Da'len, what-" Solas rounds a building from the opposite side as Cullen and the others, magic gathering in his palms, ready for anything, only to join the others and freeze. Varric just laughs harder, the only one in this mess who's enjoying it.

"I'm sorry!" While scrambling to her feet, shame and embarrassment set her heart pounding in her chest, the blood rushing past her ears drowning out the sound of people speaking to her. She pushes past everyone, running as fast as she can for the gates of Haven. The night is beginning to fall, but she doesn't care, she just needs to get away. The moment she's outside of Haven, she makes a hard right, stumbling her way to the abandoned cabin. It's farther into the forest than she remembers, and also seems to be a great deal denser than in the game.

It's dark in the cabin when she finally reaches it, but it doesn't matter; in fact, it's probably better this way. She curls in on herself in the far corner, trying to steady her breaths and slow her heart.

She's not successful.

"I may have overestimated your bravery." Felicity startles again, her head jerking back into the very solid wall of the cabin.

"Fucking hell, stop doing that!" She can't even see straight thanks to her hyperventilation and anxiety, none of her usual tricks at overcoming them working right now.

"You need to breathe, da'len."

"No, you guys need to stop scaring me!"

"You are connected to the Fade now, your emotions will feel like, well, more. And when one like fear takes hold, it only grows. May I?" Solas crouches down in front of her, guilt welling up as he watches her frantic eyes dart all over the place. He holds out a hand to her, soft green magic lighting up his fingertips, and the moment she nods, the magic grows stronger. Solas rests his hand on her head, closing his eyes as he focuses his energies into the spell. The shock of her emotions flooding his mind has him nearly recoiling, but as his magic smooths over her nerves, he breathes a sigh of relief. The sharp emotions slowly bleed out of her and Solas by extension.

"You really need to teach me that."

"In time." Solas backs away, leaning against the adjacent wall as he sits down. "I apologize, Felicity, you were right of course, I am just so used to the stares and whispers it is easier to simply ignore."

"And safer, you were right too. It's just… pointy ears are such a dumb thing to judge people on."

"We are different, that is enough for them."

"Assholes." He is shocked at her quick response, a choked off bark of laughter escapes before he can cover it up.

"Indeed. But enough hiding, you will need rest for tomorrow's journey."

"If I'm still allowed to go, Commander Cullen probably wants me locked away with the rest of the crazy people after that display."

"If he learns of your inexperience with magic, he just might."

"Best get that under control, then, yes?" His solemn expression has Felicity worrying again. If she didn't control her magic, they would have to lock her away or worse, that was a fact, and she couldn't even be mad at them for it. It would be safer for everyone, and the Inquisition doesn't need more messes to clean up should something dire happen with Felicity's magic. She stands slowly, legs still wobbly and unsure, but thankfully Solas doesn't draw any attention to it.

"You are not afraid of your new magic?"

"No, I think it's amazing, and I can't wait to learn how to use it. I just… I hope I can because I don't want to hurt anyone if it turns out I'm as bad as magic as I am at sewing." And she means it, he can hear the sincerity in her voice, the honesty in her tone.

Maybe she will never cease to amaze him.

~~~~~

They sleep on opposite ends of the cabin, Solas taking the cot on the floor before Felicity can even protest. Sleep comes easily for her, it always has, and she can't wait to dream. They've always been vivid, ever since she was a child, and on rare occasions, she's even had a few lucid dreams. Those were the best. But instead of a fantasy landscape or a spaceship, she's pulled into the quiet library she'd set up in one of the rooms in her old apartment. Soft blankets and pillows are scattered around the oversized bean bag she loved. Books of all genres fill the bookcases around the room, stacks cluttering what space remained when she inevitably ran out of shelf space. Sunlight streams through the windows, warming the already wonderful room to perfection.

"Wonder if there are any books that can help with magic?" Felicity browses the shelves, pulling out Harry Potter, D&D comics of podcasts she'd watched, Lord of the Rings and other fantasy books she faintly remembers containing magic. The few times she's played a mage Inquisitor, she's been disappointed with the limited scope of available spells. Just fire ice, lightning, and Fade. Only elements, no illusion, conjuration, or restoration, none of the fun stuff. "Solas is going to be shocked when I show him what I can do… hopefully…"

Felicity doesn't know but calling out to Solas as she dreams, pulls his dream self straight to her. He stands just outside her dream, having stopped the summons before he was completely drawn in, though he is curious just who had the power to bring him so insistently. Carefully Solas steps in, cloaking himself with magic so the dreamer wouldn't see him. He's surprised to see Felicity before him. With a quick glance around he recognizes where he is, at least in basic terms- it is clearly a library of sorts- but nothing he sees here looks even remotely familiar. The architecture of the dull room, the boring shelves that looked like fake wood, books with glossy covers and colorful pictures and odd names, the giant monstrosity of a pillow she's sitting on, everything is foreign. She's half bent over several books, going back and forth, mumbling to herself as she goes.

"I'd kill to be able to have Google right now, sure someone has written magic for dummies. Also, I'd kill for a milkshake, that'd be nice." No sooner have the words left her mouth, there on the floor sits a clear cup, Solas watching in confusion as she uses a small straw to drink the light brown concoction. "Solas, come try a sip!" She holds the cup to him, an innocent smile on her face.

"How did you-

"You've been staring, I thought you might be jealous.

"You knew I was here?"

"I mean, you walked right in here, it's not like you were invisible." _But I should have been to you,_ he thinks in awe, a wary feeling creeping in as he wonders just who or what she really is. He takes the strange glass, confused when he feels it's as cold as ice. Curiously he takes a long pull of the drink, shocked at the cool, sweet taste of chocolate washing over his tongue. "Good, right? Culver's has the best shakes."

"Where are you from?" Felicity freezes, of course, he'd wonder that walking in here, but before she can think of a lie, the truth spills out.

"Certainly not Thedas."

"Where, da'len, if not here."

"A different world, Solas, I told you before that I don't understand what happened. I wasn't lying."

"The Breach pulled you from another realm?"

"I guess? I am not the Fade expert here, Solas, that's all you." Solas' shock and wonder ripple out through the Fade, and in an instant, her dream changes. A peaceful forest, lush and green and quiet surrounds them. "Hey, I wasn't done with those-"

"Other worlds are connected by the Fade? Could it be possible?" He paces back and forth, and those she knows he isn't talking to her, she can't keep from answering.

"It has to be, right? I'm here, aren't I?"

"What is it like in your world?" Solas lurches towards her, hands tightly gripping her shoulder, the intensity in her eyes scaring Felicity.

"I don't know, good? But we have war and hate and discrimination, but better than here I suppose? No demons at least. Solas, please let go, you're scaring me." Her voice shakes, eyes wide as the Fade changes again, everything getting darker, older, the landscape now like a haunted graveyard. "Solas?" Finally, his eyes snapped back to the present, and he lets go of Felicity as if she is burning him.

"I- I am sorry, I… This could- the implications are- that you really are here is-" Thoughts are flying around too quickly in his head and end up disjointed as they leave his mouth. "Rest now, we will speak of this later." Before Felicity can get a word in edgewise, everything fades to black as she sleeps deeper than she can ever remember sleeping.

~~~~~

Someone tapping their foot is what eventually pulls Solas from the Fade, his mind still reeling after all he'd discovered the night before. After speaking with Felicity, he searched out any spirit he could to question them about the possible existence of another world. While none of them could outright confirm it, none seemed surprised by the idea.

"I would have liked to dream a little longer." He doesn't miss the anger in Felicity's voice, and though he does feel guilty for sending her to true unconsciousness, he couldn't have her presence in the Fade distracting him, not this time.

"I apologize, da'len but-"

"Yeah, that's not how apologies work. It's more like 'I'm sorry' and 'I'll never do it again,' and that's it. No ifs, ands, or buts."

"I am sorry, Felicity, I will not do it again."

"Thank you." This seems to be enough for her, at least for now. Solas stretches and stands as he thinks of how to best phrase his next questions. "Please don't tell people about this, Solas, I really would end up in the loony bin and _definitely_ on the Chantry's hit list."

"You are right, I suspect. I will not tell anyone, not yet anyway. There may come a time when we have to disclose your origins, but I won't let them do away with you so easily." He smiles at her, just a small one, but the little gesture makes her feel loads better. "Come, we have a long way to go today, I doubt you want to travel on an empty stomach."

Breakfast is eaten in a hurry, the pair meeting up with Acacia and the others at the gates not long after she finished her last bite. They all look a little out of place, Cassandra's heavy and shiny armor out of place with Solas' comfy mage wear and Acacia's Dalish robes. Varric has his coat open like always, Felicity wonder's if he even feels the cold, maybe it's a dwarf thing.

"Herald, scouts and soldiers are waiting for you in the Hinterlands, they'll be able to help in stabilizing the area until we can get a real handle on the situation. Are you sure...?" Cullen looks skeptically at Felicity; in his opinion, she shouldn't be allowed to leave Haven, much less go to the Hinterlands. 

"It's been a long couple of days for us, Commander, she's going to be fine." Solas answers instead, eyes leveled at the ex-Templar, head held high as he confidently stares the man down, daring him to argue the point. Cullen just shakes his head doubtfully but doesn't say anything more on the matter. With a few more parting words, the small group is off, Cassandra and Acacia leading the way again. As the pair talk, Varric occasionally butting in to annoy the Seeker, Solas starts teaching Felicity some of the basics.

"First, we need to see what you are capable of. To cast magic, you must draw the power through the Fade, shape it, give it a purpose, and then release it. Try something simple first, focus on your palm and picture conjuring a flame."

Felicity does just that. She holds out her hand, staring at her palm with furrowed brows, picturing her many mage characters from Skyrim in her mind, fire dancing around their hands. While trusting the others not to lead them into a tree or off a cliff, Felicity closes her eyes, picturing the sparks and flames licking between her fingers, the heat, the colors. When she opened them again, she's met with just that. Orange-red flames dance around her fingers, warm but not painful, and she excitedly smiles. With a thought, she shapes them into a single ball of fire hovering over her palm, then into several flames flickering like candles on her fingertips, and then back to the swirling it had been at the start. Felicity excitedly glances as Solas, expecting him to be as stoic as ever, but pleased with her success. Instead, she sees him looking at her hand in surprise and utter disbelief. The magic drops moments later, and Felicity notices the warmth that had been coursing through her veins has stopped.

"You have _never_ had training in magic?"

"No, I told you, I've never had magic before." Felicity glances ahead to make sure no one was paying attention before leaning close to whisper. "My world doesn't even have magic; we just have loads of stories and ideas on what it could be like. It's all fiction, though."

"What you just did, so easily I might add, takes most mages some time to master, and few learn to do it as it takes more mana and concentration than just a spell. I haven't seen it done so effortlessly since… since my deepest wanderings in the Fade." _Since Arlathan fell_... he corrects quietly in his mind.

"So... I did good, right?" He snorts quietly, nodding though his mind is still lost in memories.

"Yes, da'len, you did well. So well, I find it nearly impossible to believe that you've never practiced magic before. Surely you are feeling drained after that display, we may have to wait-" Solas glance back at Felicity to see her doing it again.

"I mean, I don't feel tired. Should I? Am I doing it wrong?" If Solas were less in control of his emotions, he might have fallen over in shock. As it is his mouth falls open as he watches as the flames grow in size and then shrink again. A mage, even as well trained as the Herald, would be hard-pressed to keep such magic going without it steadily draining her mana. Solas could do it as he still retained a large portion of his power, something he kept hidden for obvious reasons, but eventually even he would start to feel drained since his body had not yet recovered from the uthenera. Given more time to fully recover, he'd be back to his full power, and such magic would be child's play, as it is evidently for Felicity.

"No, not wrong. I- when we reach the camp, I'd like for you to do this again when I can study how you pull magic from the Fade more closely."

"Alright." Felicity is still worried about his reaction to her magic, but she's too excited about _having_ magic to give it too much thought right now. 

"You said back home, you have stories about magic?"

"Yeah, works of fiction. Harry Potter comes to mind first, a story about a boy wizard saving the world and all that. Skyrim, of course, is a game, but it's kind of like a big story, and they've got magic. D&D has magic in it, Lord of the Rings… they all have different takes on magic though. Harry Potter is all wands and incantations and such, Skyrim is spells and scrolls, D&D is just a mess of everything, and it's wonderful. Everyone, where I'm from, loves to dream about magic and what it could do."

"So when I told you to make a flame, you pictured one of these works of fiction?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I got this warm feeling too, like warm light flowing through my body."

"Try and cast another spell, a small one, from these stories."

"Um, okay... let's see..." Felicity thinks for a moment, trying to think of something that wouldn't cause too much of a fuss. She grins when she gets an idea. For a moment she focuses again on her palm, the warm feeling seeping out from there to fill her body as the illusion of Solas wolf bone pendant appears in her palm. "Tada!" It looks just like his, completely identical, and she holds it up for his inspection. Solas says nothing, reaching out his fingers to touch it, brow arching when it vanishes the moment he brushes the edge of the illusion. "It's not real, just a minor illusion, a useful cantrip to be sure."

"Amazing." He murmurs, quietly asking her to do it again. She does, this time making a ruby the size of a grapefruit rest in her hand. Solas had thought such magic was lost with the ancient elves, but here is a beginner in magic breezing through these spells as if they were nothing. "I was going to teach you control on the walk, to master holding the energy while walking and talking, but it seems like you need little instructions on that. Instead, we will likely just need to teach you to blend in as I can assure you such magic is unheard of here, maybe anywhere in Thedas."

"Yeah, you guys all have staffs and everything." _We don't really need them, at least we didn't use to need a focus for magic before the Veil. Now though, it is strenuous enough to call magic through from the Fade, the mages of this time need all the help they can get._ Just another thing for Solas to berate himself with, more guilt to add to the pile. He's adopted the use of one after he woke to find the world so different from when he left it, though it took him a while to get used to casting spells through it. For the mages now, it helps a great deal, but for Solas, it just adds extra steps. It does actually lessen his spell effects, which is useful as he tries to hide just how powerful he is even in his weakened state.

"Yes, we'll train you how to use one once we find you one. It shouldn't be hard; after all, it's like you said, undoubtedly, there are mage corpses your size waiting to be looted."

"I feel creepy when you say it like that."

"It is what we are going to be doing, is it not?"

"Well, yeah, but still..."

"We should test your limits since they seem to be holding up thus far. You need to know how much mana you have left to use, especially if you are going to have to fight."

They continue walking in relative silence, Solas occasionally asking her to try a different spell or how she is feeling. As the day drags on, she does start to feel more tired. Though if that is from the use of magic or from all the walking, she doesn't know. By the time they reach their camp in the Hinterlands it is almost completely dark. The last two hours had passed in silence, everyone was tired and aching from the journey.

Solas volunteers to take first watch, Felicity joining him despite her wish to fall asleep for the next week to let her legs recover.

"I would like for you to summon the flames again, and keep it going so I can figure out how you are casting with such ease." It's _as if the Veil isn't even there for her..._ All day he's been trying to think of how it could come so quickly for her, and that is really the only answer he can think of, which is hard to believe because he knows for sure the Veil is still there.

As the minutes tick by and she can finally put all her focus into what she's casting and feeling, Felicity starts to notice that she does feel the warmth lessening over time. But after she drops the spell and casts it again, it's like it all starts over, reset. No cooldown time.

Solas almost wants to shout when he watches how she draws magic from the Fade. For mages, they must pull magic from the Fade, through the Veil, and then knit together the little pieces that come through to make something with any power. It's like smashing an apple through a sieve. Eventually, small bits will go through, but not the same as it was at the start. For him there are no issues drawing power through to reality as he created the Veil and it poses no barrier for him. For Felicity, though, it's like the Veil isn't even there, she's just drawing power straight from the Fade. She doesn't have that much mana now that he can focus, though, with training, they could change that. A circle mage would need to expend a great deal of mana to amass the same amount of power that she can get with just a smidge. Maybe because she is from a different world, perhaps because she was sent through the Veil twice it doesn't react the same to her as it does everyone else, he can't be sure. He can sit there trying to think up an explanation as to how until this world crumbles away, but there is no real way to know unless he can find more people like her from other worlds.

"That bad, huh?" Felicity peeks up at him for a moment before looking back down at where she's wringing her hands.

"It is almost time to switch, we will discuss this in the Fade later." She just nods, it's probably safer that way, no one can overhear them there at least. "Go and rest, I will come to you later." He turns from her, looking intently into the dying embers of the campfire. As quietly as she can, Felicity crawls into the girl's tent, Cassandra and Acacia getting up and ready to go take over the watch. The moment her head meets the makeshift pillow, she's out and dreaming.

This time, instead of being somewhere familiar or some fantastical dreamscape, she's in a desert. The sun beats down from above, the sand burning underneath her feet, and as she looks around, she feels such an overwhelming wave of rage pass through her for a moment, she is completely stunned. The crackling of fire starts behind her, and ever so slowly, she turns to see a man in mage robes, flames burning in his eyes, flashing from his hands, sizzling against the sand with each step.

"Those Templars won't take me back, won't kill any more of us! I won't let them; they'll die first!!" The man screams, his accent Orlesian, and voice distorted by the demon of rage. The mages eyes lock on where Felicity stands frozen, and the sneer he pulls has so much malice and hate in it Felicity physically flinches away. "You won't stop me!" Without any provocation, the mage leaps at her, crossing the distance faster than is physically possible and lashes out with fiery claws. It hurts more than it should, and Felicity cries out in pain as she falls into the sand.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up…!" Try as she might to focus on and pain and wake up, it doesn't work. The man kicks her right in the ribs, an explosion of flame detonating from that point and hangs in the air for a few moments, starting to sear her skin. "Shield!" She yells instead, a shimmering blue barrier sliding over her, putting out the flames, soothing the burns. "Fuuuuck!!" The claw marks on her arms feel like acid is eating through her skin and bones, the pain not lessening at all. "Solas!!" She screams, a blast of magic slamming out of her and into the demon, sending it flying, but it finds it's way back to her in a hurry. Just before another blow from the demon lands, it's pulled back and slammed into the ground.

"Leave." Solas' voice rings out through the Fade, powerful and commanding, nothing Felicity can picture leaving the unassuming elven apostate she knew from the game, but maybe the elf she's been coming to know here. "How is it you find trouble so quickly, da'len?" He changes the Fade with a flick of the wrist, and with another, the pain leaves her arms.

"I didn't go looking for that shit! I just was here, through no choice of my own."

"Stand, you _must_ learn to defend yourself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here we go! A new story to put up! I'm at home with the flu, so at least I've got time to try and edit what goes up. Sorry in advance for any errors, but I'm only one person who's not all that great at grammar. Oh well! :D 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who gives my story a chance!


	3. Chapter 3

Lessons in the Fade are hard, while Felicity’s magic might surpass that of most other mages in Thedas, her physicality- or lack thereof- certainly does not. She doesn’t even know the basics in how to defend herself, Solas more than a little shocked. What kind of utopia does she come from where people don’t need to know such things? They spend each and every night in the Fade, Solas teaching her different wards, different techniques for making sure the demons stay at a distance. During the waking hours when the Herald and gang are off stabilizing the Hinterlands, Felicity stays behind. She quietly practices what Solas has been teaching her, and only that. 

“You can not blend in like this, Felicity, they will know in an instant that your magic is more powerful than most can even fathom. They will lock you up or make you Tranquil faster than you can blink.” Acacia says with a worried expression. Even with all the training with Solas, she is no closer to blending in with everyone else. Having her cast with a staff is just an accident waiting to happen; even with the training in the Fade, she is still a complete mess with it.

“I’m trying, I swear to god I am, but this is so outside of what I used to do back home that I... what if I can’t ever cast like you guys?”

“Then the Templars will surely find you out and take you in.” Solas’ bleak voice makes Felicity flinch away. He stands, not looking at either of the other elves before walking out of the tent for some fresh air.

“He’s exaggerating, it’ll be fine, I promise. You’ll have plenty more time to practice before heading back to Haven. We’re heading to Val Royeaux and then the Storm Coast, and after we meet these mercenaries, we’re heading back to Haven. That’s a good month’s worth of time to practice.”

“But if I can’t, if someone figures it out that my magic is weird, I don’t want you guys to get in trouble for it. If they try to take me, promise you’ll just let me go quietly, everyone needs you guys here. I can take care of myself.”

“No one is taking you anywhere. Just focus on learning for now. It’ll all get better, you’ll see.” Acacia smiles at her, as happy as always, before turning back to her letters. She writes every night, notes to the advisors back at Haven, messages for her clan, and of course, she fills her journal with a record of what she’s done that day. 

Felicity rolls over, making room for Cassandra as she enters the shared tent, and quickly falls asleep. She knows Solas is going to be in her dreams again, drilling into her head the importance of whatever today’s lesson would be about, but for now, at least she can dream of whatever she wants.

A café forms before her eyes, cozy and warm with the smells of fresh baked goods and hot chocolate filling the air. She’s at a table in the back corner, laptop sitting on the table next to her phone, though both screens are dark. The Beatles start playing over the radio, and all at once, she’s overwhelmed with homesickness. It’s been fun for her, living in Thedas, at least for the most part. It takes some getting used to, to be sure, but it’s not nearly as bad as it could be. And, recent apocalyptic events notwithstanding, she likes this world more than home. It’s not as busy, there’s not a million things trying to get her attention all at once, the people here seem a great deal more genuine than those back home, it just feels right here. But she does miss the music, the food, the sheer amount of knowledge she had access to with just the press of a button. 

“This is your world?”

“Yeah.” Felicity tries to clear her throat, hastily wiping the beginnings of tears from her eyes. “A café, though, I’m sure you guys have stuff like this here.”

“Similar yes, though none as peaceful as this.” 

“I’m sure there are, you just haven’t been. Ruins are more your thing, right?”

“Indeed.” Silence hangs between them as she stares at her hands, and Solas takes in his surroundings. Felicity is starting to get antsy when Solas changes the Fade, their typical training ground forming from the nothingness. “Let us begin.”

~~~~~

The month of traveling is gone before she knows it. After near-constant training, she can cast her magic through a staff, though the effects are dulled almost to the point of being useless. But so long as she can keep her magic to that, she should have nothing to worry about from the Inquisition, and it’s Templars. Solas had stopped her Fade training halfway into their travels, needing to work on his own studies again. So every night, Felicity goes to bed with everyone, but then as the first and second watch shift changes, she sneaks out to practice with her staff alone. Acacia and Solas move so gracefully when they fight, the staff twirling around as magic flies off in every direction. Felicity can never quite manage it, though. She’ll be doing good, and then the staff blade will catch the back of her legs, or the crystal at the top collides with her head, or her arms will get tangled up and bent at the wrong angle. 

But despite the pain of her ever-growing list of self-inflicted injuries, she continues to train, tonight in particular. Solas had stood up for her earlier when Krem had made the comment of leaving Felicity behind as they fought to have her travel with other pilgrims on their way to Haven. He assured them all that she is capable of looking after herself. But then Bull mentioned that she should join them in the fighting, she should pull her own weight. 

Tomorrow she’ll be expected to join in if there is any conflict on the road, so she needs to get at least part of this right. For herself, for Acacia, for Solas, she has to get this down.

After she hits herself in the head for the third time, harder than the last ones, Felicity raises the staff above her head, tears burning her eyes as she bites back the curses. She wants to slam the staff into the nearest tree repeatedly until it breaks. She wants the stupid piece of wood to be splintered into nothingness at her feet, but Felicity holds back, dropping the staff to the ground with a sigh. 

“You can do this; you have to do this. Get it together!” Her angry whispers motivate her enough, at least for the time being, and she picks up the offending weapon and tries to do the sequence of twirls and spins. Felicity doesn’t know she’s being watched; she doesn’t know she’s been watched every night she’s trained. The Iron Bull had been curious the first time he saw her sneak out, and every time after that, he just wanted to know if she could actually improve. “Solas taught you better than this!” It all clicks together then for him, why she tries so hard, why she asks so many questions, why she’s so desperate to get it right.

“You should see this,” Bull says quietly to the bald apostate when he reaches camp again. He and Solas had taken watch together tonight, both of them sitting in a tense silence after an argument about the Qun. They quietly creep back to Felicity, who now is bitterly mumbling about how she should have joined color guard instead of the winds section in the marching band as she rubs another goose egg on her head.

“You know, if you cooperated, this would go much easier.” Solas watches as Felicity talks to the staff, demanding that it get it’s shit together and help. “Alright, it’s top, bottom, spin right top again, then you spin it around and up and then bottom again. It’s not that hard! Come on, Felicity!!” She gets halfway through before she loses her grip on the staff, and it goes flying. “Fuck a duck!” As she stomps after her weapon, Bull pulls Solas back to the campfire.

“She does this often?” 

“Every night.” Solas sits down, stunned once again. “You’ve gotta give her credit, she’s stubborn if nothing else.” Bull quietly chuckles at the elf’s expression, settling back down for the rest of their watch.

The night passes quickly, and now that he knows to watch for it when they switch for the last watch, he notices Felicity slipping back into the tent she shares with the other women. But while Felicity finds sleep quickly, it takes Solas longer than usual to join the spirits in the Fade. He’d told her that she was passable, that he had to focus on the Breach now, he figured she’d move on to learning other things. That’s what most mortals do, moving on, they discover one thing quickly before starting another, their lives too short to spend so much time on one subject. But it turns out she continued with lessons by herself.

The moment he’s in the Fade, he searches out her dreams, finding her in mere moments. Felicity is driving through the countryside in her old car, music blaring over the radio, windows down, and sending her hair flying back in a mess of blonde curls. 

“One day, my father, he told me ‘son don’t let it slip away.’ He took me in his arms and I heard him say. When you get older, your wild heart will live for younger days, think of me if ever you’re afraid. He said one day you’ll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember. My father told me when I was just a child, these are the nights that never die! My father told me!” She’s so caught up singing at the top of her lungs that she doesn’t notice when Solas appears in the passenger seat. When he finally tears his eyes away from the singing woman next to him and looks out the windows, he shouts in fear as they fly down the road.

“Oh, hello, Solas!” She turns the volume down and can’t help but laugh at the terror on Solas’ face, his reaction not that different than her mothers when she had first started to teach her how to drive. “We’re only going 60 Solas, calm down.”

“This is how you travel in your world?!”

“One of the ways, yeah. Faster than horses. We have trains for in the city and whatnot, boats for the sea, planes for flying, spaceships for space travel.” As she talks, the Fade changes to give Solas a glimpse of all the different kinds of transportation on Earth. He nearly falls over as they are shot into space, and much quicker than is realistic, they are looking down at the Earth. “I always liked the pictures and videos of Earth from space, makes everything seem so trivial in comparison.”

“Da’len...”

“Cat got your tongue?” 

“This is… incredible. Your people actually went this far?”

“Yeah, insane, right? I wonder what Thedas looks like from space.”

“Show me more.” Solas turns to her, eyes so intense she can do nothing but stare for a moment. But once the shock has worn off, she does just that. She shows him the wonders of the world, famous cities, amusement parks, and natural landmarks. She shows him historical moments, doing her best to explain why they are significant. She takes him to concerts and sports games, she takes him dancing and parading through the streets, she takes him around the world to find her favorite foods for him to sample.

“Where are the elves?”

“Oh, there aren’t any, at least not really. We got elves in fiction and stuff, but otherwise, it’s just us humans.”

“Us? You were human?”

“Yeah, I was. It was kind of a shock to wake up with pointed ears and everything!”

“So not only are you from a different world and were not a mage, but you also were a human?”

“Crazy, right?!” Felicity laughs, not nearly as stuck on the details as Solas is. 

“What were you like before?”

“What, like looks?” He nods and she takes a moment to think. “Not that different, really. Other than the pointed ears and bigger eyes, I was mostly the same. I think I got skinnier, though that might just be me having more physical labor to do here than back home. And I’m almost certain I was a little taller, but besides that, nothing has really changed. ...I don’t think.” 

“I wonder why you were changed when you came through? The Herald did not change as far as she can tell.”

“Good question, though I doubt we will ever get an answer.”

“Yes, it is unlikely. Come, it is time to wake, though you will have to show me more of your Earth again sometime.”

“It’s a date!” The worlds leave her mouth before she thinks them through, a blush burning her cheeks as they both wake from the Fade. Solas catches a glimpse of the blush before he opens his eyes to the tent above him, curious as to why she would be embarrassed about such a thing and making a mental note to ask her about it later.

“Come on, Chuckles and Tiny! I’ve outdone myself with breakfast.” Varric calls from outside, Solas rolling his eyes. They would undoubtedly be eating ram for breakfast- _again_ \- how Varric could make that better is beyond him.

“This will be the last stop before Haven, so make sure to get your fill, da’len.” Solas reminds Felicity quietly when she joins them at the fire.

“Got it!” He watches as she piles her plate high with the meat, the amount nearly matching Bull’s.

“You seriously going to eat all that?!” Jim, one of the scouts that had joined up in the Storm Coast, asks incredulously. “There’s no way!”

“Wanna bet?” Felicity holds out her hand for him to shake.

“Two sovereigns say you can’t, there’s nowhere for you to put it!” 

“You’re on!” They shake, and Varric just laughs, knowing full well that Felicity can put away the whole plate and more. She’d done this several times now with new scouts that join the party or see her eat at camp. Felicity started the trip off near broke, now she has thirty-two sovereigns and an assortment of silver and bits. It took Solas a while to explain currency to her, but she learns quickly. Why Fereldan and Orlais had to have different words for it all, she’d never know, because they used the same damn coins.

Solas passes her a cup of water to wash it all down with, and even he can’t stop the small smirk as Felicity sets the empty plate down and grins victoriously over at the scout. The man’s expression is one part depressed at the loss of good money, and two parts horrified at what he had just witnessed.

“I’ll be rich soon!” Varric laughs, shaking his head as he watches her add the coins to the small pouch he’d given her for storing her winnings. 

“You know, Firecracker, it’s almost stealing at this point.”

“Hey, he started it. It wasn’t like I went looking for silly people to bet that I can’t eat, they just come to me!” Felicity tries her best to look innocent, but her smug grin ruins the act in an instant. When she reaches for an apple, Jim nearly falls from his seat.

“You’re eating more?!”

“Why not?” Jim can’t even come up with any words to say, quietly turning back to his own plate to pick away at his meal.

“Pack up everyone, we’re heading out!” Acacia's clear voice cuts over the sound of everyone eating and chatting, the Herald having settled into her role of leading the little band quite nicely. “You know, I’m starting to think we should have taken the horses with us instead of having them sent straight to Haven. I’m getting tired of walking everywhere.” Everyone joins Acacia as she laughs. Dennet had offered a horse for her to ride, but she refused to be the only one not walking.

As they all help with taking the tents down and loading up the small cart they had, Felicity starts humming to herself, the strange tune catching Varric’s attention. 

“You gonna dance for us too, Firecracker?”

“Maybe I will!” Felicity closes her eyes, hearing the music in her head, and starts to dance. It doesn’t take long for several other people to join in staring, the dance not quite like anything they’d seen. Without her realizing it, magic flows out, filling the air with the music that was filling her mind. Electro swing quietly surrounds her, by far her favorite music to dance to even if she wasn't that good, and never before had it been heard in Thedas.

“I... I didn’t know magic could do that.” Varric says quietly, watching with curiosity as Felicity continues to happily dance.

“It relies heavily on manipulating the Fade, Circle mages aren’t taught that kind of control,” Solas explains, and he’s not lying, not really, but he has also not seen magic like this done so plainly. 

“No staff?”

“Staffs are not necessary for casting, they only act as a focus, channeling the energy into one place.”

“She’s pretty good at it without a staff, though.” Bull comments, his one eye locked on Felicity, and Solas watches as the Qunari hides the suspicion in his gaze before she catches him watching. “Never seen a dance quite like that, short stuff.” He says with a loud laugh, all traces of suspicion gone from his gaze, Solas equal parts impressed and unnerved that someone could lie as well as he could. 

“That’s ’cause I’m inventing it! You just gotta be bouncy, try it.”

“Yeah, dancing isn’t really my thing.”

“Fair. You wanna try Varric?” She turns to look down at him, finally opening her eyes to see the small crowd gathered around her.

“No, I’m with Tiny, dancing really isn’t for me.”

“Solas?” She turns to him, finding his stern gaze locked on her. Felicity’s blood freezes as she realizes just how dangerous a line she’s dancing on. Not only is her magic once again showing people how different she is, but bringing in music and dance from her world- something people here have never even thought of obviously- was going to cause problems. “Yeah, we got work to do, sorry for bothering you all.” She laughs, rubbing the back of her neck as she tries to keep the negative emotions swirling within her from showing on her face. Solas rolls his eyes and heads off to help with the packing up of all the resources they’d found along the way.

Once everyone is back to their work, Felicity moving to help Solas in silence, she quietly berates herself.

She has to do better.

~~~~~~

“So bored…” Felicity groans, the Hinterlands were sucking the very life from her. It had been neat the first playthrough, but every single one after that, the Hinterlands had been tedious, and getting lost was no longer fun. 

“Da’len, please, we are almost there.” Solas, irritated still from her earlier display, does his best not to snap at her. 

“...s-sorry…” Her shoulders slump, eyes quickly falling to the ground. He was still mad at her, that much was obvious. Felicity wished that she didn’t have to hide so much. She had magic! The stuff of fantasy and dreams back home! She had it and could do next to nothing with it lest she is taken away or worse, just outright killed.

“We’ll take a quick rest here; there is much elf root to harvest.” Everyone immediately makes a makeshift camp to rest in, the scouts and soldiers quick to join Acacia as she gathers resources, Bull and his Chargers finding an old stone carving to investigate. The best story of its origin won. The worst had to buy drinks that night. Solas is buried in the pages of some of the books they’d gotten, Felicity hesitantly walking up to him. She freezes when she hears the tell-tale snort of a nearby animal and given their current location, it was more than likely a bear.

“Solas, I think there is-”

“Not now, Felicity.” He snaps, turning away to keep reading. She frowns but stays silent, brow lowering in anger as she turns and stomps off. How was she ever going to apologize and try and do better if he never spoke to her again!? By the time she sees the brown bear, she is a ways away from the others, and Felicity takes a deep breath. As she slowly walks closer, she pulls out a chunk of dried meat she’d been saving to snack on later, magic welling up within her as she concentrates on a spell she’d cast many times as her human druid in D&D, animal friendship. It’d be nice to have a bear friend for a moment. She’d have to send it away before the others saw, but it would be one less bear for them to fight.

It lets out a warning growl when it sees her getting closer, the bear turning to run at her when it sees she has no intention of leaving. When it gets within a few feet of her, the magic leaves her in a short burst, the light green energy flowing quickly from her to it. The bear freezes, staring at her in wonder before gently sniffing at the meat in her hand. 

“You can eat it.” Felicity smiles as the bear takes the small morsel, quickly chewing it before looking back to her with curious eyes. “Can I pet you?” It tips its head a little, not understanding her words, but it doesn’t outright bite her hand off, so she takes that as an okay. The fur is surprisingly soft, Felicity gently scratching behind its ears when it gives a soft rumble deep from its chest. “Who’s a good boy?” Her giggle makes the bear plop down, nuzzling her body, it’s breath ruffling her clothes as it searches for more food. “I don’t have anymore, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I’d be making bear friends today, or I’d have brought more.”

For a few minutes, they remain like that, Felicity giving the large bear all the pets and scratches, the bear content for the moment to sit there and receive the attention. Then she had an idea, a little nervous to try it because she doesn’t know if she can do more than one spell at once on a single creature, but worst-case scenario she’d just make it her friend again. The magic builds again; this time, a little zap of harmless lightning passes between them, Felicity focusing on being able to speak with the bear. 

“Did it work?” She asks quietly, stopping the petting for a moment. The bear looks up at her, and she swears if it could roll its eyes, it just did.

“Worked.” The voice that leaves the muzzle of the bear isn’t human, too rough and feral sounding, but Felicity doesn’t mind any, far too happy that it worked to care how it sounded. “Come, dangerous for one so small in the open.”

“Oh, that’s thoughtful, but I’m not really alone, my friends are off in the distance. I came to meet you.”

“You take what the other left behind.” It rumbles, gently nudging her along further in the distance. “It’s magic keeps me up at night.”

“I don’t suppose it was another nice human who talked to you, was it?”

“No, corrupted man, the red song too loud in his ears.” She didn’t need to see the body to know it was a Red Lyrium Templar. But it was still too early for them to be wandering the HInterlands, In Your Heart Shall Burn hasn’t happened yet; in fact, they are a way off from that little nightmare.

Or they were supposed to be.

“Okay, but we need to go quick, my friends will-”

“Da’len, where did you run off to- Felicity?!” Solas’ heart stops when he sees her standing next to the bear, it’s head too close to her for comfort. Magic, in the form of crackling lightning, reaches out from him in an instant, the elf not bothering with the staff, he doesn’t have time for it. She couldn’t protect herself from a bear attack, not so close.

“No, wait!” Felicity jumps between the spell and the bear, hands held up before her, thinking hard about one of Skyrim’s wards spilling from her palms. The pale blue magic ripples to life just in time to stop the spell, the bear moving around her to growl long and low at the attacker. “Wait, wait, Mr. Bear, he’s a friend! He thought you were attacking me, he was just trying to protect me. He won’t do it again.” Felicity looks meaningfully to Solas, who just stares at her in utter shock, his magic staying condensed around his hands in case he needs to cast again.

“Solas, was that you-” Bull asks, rounding the corner to see the same thing the apostate had.

“Oh, for the love of God, could this get any worse?” Felicity mumbles, the bear was keeping its defensive stance next to her. 

“What’s going on?” Bull’s voice is surprisingly calm as he stares at the pair before him. The large bear was clearly going to try and protect Felicity from them should they try anything, Solas obviously ready to do the same because _a **bear**_ was standing next to his small apprentice.

“Nothing, everything is fine. We are all fine.”

“Your friends?” The bear rumbles up to her, nodding his head at the two still perplexed men.

“Yeah, they are my friends, both of them.” Her responding to the bear’s rumbling only makes them more confused and worried. “He was just going to show me something, I’ll be back in a second, okay?”

“You are not going anywhere with some demon bear, Felicity.”

“He’s not a demon bear, The Iron Bull, trust me.”

“No, that’s a demon bear, and I don’t know why you seem to think you can talk with it, or why it’s not attacking you, but you are not following it anywhere. Back me up, Solas.”

“He’s not going to hurt me, I swear, Solas. He just wants me to take something that’s been bothering him, he said the magic is keeping him awake. Can they come with?” She turns back to the bears to ask who gives a short, irritated huff, but answers anyway.

“Yes, they come as well. Follow, too dangerous.” The bear is once again nudging her in the opposite direction of Solas and Bull, who called back to the others. They would be just a moment, or so they hoped. Both of them were on edge as they followed, weapon and magic at the ready should Bull turn out to be correct.

After a couple minutes of walking, only Felicity daring to speak to the bear to break the silence, they come up to a well-hidden den in the side of one of the large hills. The bear enters, coming out a moment later with a mouthful of equipment in a small, half-destroyed chest.

“Take, go with friends. Avoid the southern pass, many demons, and bad magic.” The bear nuzzles its head against her torso again, Felicity eager to give it some more pets, pleased when it lets out that low happy rumble again.

“Thank you, I’ll remember to bring more food next time.” It presses it’s soft, wet nose against her cheek, huffing out a breath that sounded suspiciously like a laugh to her, before turning to head back into its den. Felicity turns, arms full with bits of equipment she could feel magic coming off of, to see Bull and Solas looking at her like she is crazy. “... I’ve got stuff for everyone?” She offers up with a grimace attempting to be a smile, but Solas is having none of that, grabbing her arm and pulling her quickly away.

“Do you have a death with, da’len? Is that it? Tell me you did not go off in search of a bear!”

“I… I mean, not… okay, I kind of did, but I had it under control!”

“You were talking to a bear!” Solas throws his hands into the air as he shouts, looking down at her unsure if he should feel amazed that she not only used magic to befriend the bear but also speak with it, relieved that she wasn’t turned into bear food, or angry at her for her reckless behavior. The latter was winning out for the moment.

“Yeah, and he was perfectly polite! Look at what he gave us!”

“You wanna maybe explain how you were talking to a bear?” Bull asks, stepping between the two shouting mages. “I’ve never heard of magic allowing you to talk with animals, or befriend them.”

“You would not not under the Qun-”

“I’ve been in Orlais and Fereldan long enough to know that you guys don’t have it either, Solas. I don’t need to talk to Cassandra or Cullen to know that’s not an everyday thing down here. I doubt even the Boss would have heard of something like this. You two have been hiding long enough, speak.” Felicity flinches, of course, Bull would have noticed, what with his spy training and all. Still, she’d hoped she’d been doing well enough hiding to maybe slip past his notice.

“We need not explain anything to you, The Iron Bull.” Solas spits back, glaring up at the Qunari.

“I’m not-”

“No, da’len! His people would see you destroyed!”

“He’s not his people, Solas. Besides, he already knows I’m hiding something and that you are constantly trying to cover for me.” Felicity looks up at Bull, doing her best not to let her fear show too much on her face as she clears her throat to start speaking again. “I’m not from Thedas, I’m from a different world called Earth. I got here when the Breach happened, and I got my magic then as well. But I’m not a threat to you or the Inquisition, I swear! I’m here to help, just like everyone else.” For a long moment, Bull is silent, studying Felicity for any trace of a lie, of another tall tale, but there is nothing but honesty and fear in her eyes.

“And you?” He turns to Solas, who looks well past livid at the idea that he has to explain anything to Bull.

“He’s been helping me with my magic, and teaching me about the culture here, that’s all. If you have to arrest me or whatever, please just leave him out of it. It’s not his fault, he’s just trying to help-”

“No one is going to arrest you, Felicity, certainly not him.” She can feel the angry magic swirling around Solas, worried that he’s going to do something to ruin everything he has going for him in the Inquisition. 

“He’s right, I’m not going to do anything to you, to either of you. You were telling the truth, and so long as you continue to do so, continue to help, I don’t see why it matters that you are from somewhere else. Just… keep your magic a little more subtle, short stuff, not everyone is going to be as laid back about it.” Bull walks off first, leaving the elves behind, giving them the moment they were clearly going to need to discuss everything. 

“He is going to report back about you, Felicity, and they will come for you. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day they will think you are a threat too big to ignore, and they will kill you.” Solas shakes her shoulders as he nearly shouts at her, his eyes full of anger and worry.

“Better they kill me than having you caught in the crossfire for just trying to help me! I know I’m just a stupid child in your eyes, but I can think far enough into the future to know that hiding from someone who already knows something is up is only going to get us into trouble!”

“I do not think you a child-”

“Really?! Then why did you come looking for me like I was a wayward brat who’d run off? Why do you remind me to eat or take a break like I don’t know when I’m hungry or tired?”

“Well, it will not happen any longer.” Solas gives her one last glare before stomping off back to camp. Felicity watches him go with growing anger, both with him and herself. 

“Stupid egg!” She mutters as she follows, completely ignoring Solas and everyone else when she gets back to the camp. She passes the broken chest over to Acacia. “Found this in the woods.” Is all she says, and Acacia, seeing the anger and frustration in both her and Solas, decides to leave it alone for now, give them some time to cool off.

It wouldn't be enough.


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of the six-hour walk back to Haven is spent in relative silence between everyone, all of them tired from the constant traveling, ready to get back to Haven for some well-deserved rest. 

When Haven comes into sight, Felicity rushes ahead of everyone else who stops by Cullen outside the gates, pushing the massive doors open and hurrying to the Chantry in search of Lady Montilyet. Thankfully, she is in her office as she always had been in-game, still as shiny and proper as well. Without waiting for permission to speak or a giving a proper greeting, Felicity jumps right in.

“I was wondering about getting some quarters or a tent or something of my own. Solas,” just saying the name makes her angry, but she does her best to work past it without showing her displeasure on her face, “needs to focus on his Fade research, I don’t want to get in the way.”

“Of course, I will find a tent for you right away. Let’s see, we have several tents open now that we sent the last group of soldiers and scouts to the remaining camp in the Storm Coast. Here, take this to Commander Cullen, he’ll be able to show you where you can stay.” She quickly rights Felicity a little note after looking over a neat little chart. “Also, I have your pay for all the work you’ve done with the Herald. She said you were responsible for most of the blood lotus and black lotus that was sent back.” Josephine quickly counts out the contents of a small coin purse before handing that to Felicity as well.

“Oh, um, thank you. I figured Adan could always use more, they are quite useful in many potions.”

“Indeed. Well, if that is all, I must get going, we are to meet with the Herald as soon as she has had a moment to clean up. Good day, Lady Felicity.”

“Oh, sure, no problem. Have fun.”

“Actually, may I ask one quick question?”

“Um, yeah, go for it.”

“What is your full name? All I have right now is Felicity, and though I had asked Acacia to ask you while on your journey so I could have it in our records, she must have forgotten.”

“Oh my god, I’m sorry, I’m Felicity Maria Pennel.” Josephine is silent for a moment, just looking at her curiously.

“Pardon me, Lady Felicity. That is just a very… human name. Thank you regardless, I will put that in our records.” With a smile, she finally writes it down, dismissing Felicity with a little wave. 

She goes off in search of the Commander. He is also where he usually was in-game, though instead of merely standing there overseeing everything, he wanders around, correcting mistakes and even taking up the sword and shield to show the recruits an example. He looks worse than when they left, Felicity’s heart aching for him, no doubt the withdrawals were getting worse. And knowing Cullen was a stubborn man, he was probably just muscling through it.

“Excuse me, Commander Cullen, Josephine sent me over-!” A shield comes flying at her face, having been knocked from the hand of a recruit who clearly didn’t know how to hold it. Felicity raises her arms, magic swelling up to cast something, anything to stop it, but then she remembers just who is standing a few feet away. He’s having enough trouble with the withdrawals, no need to add paranoia over a strange elf’s magic to it all. So the metal-rimmed wooden shield collides with the side of her forehead, thankfully missing her temple, or she imagines she would be unconscious instead of just on her ass in the snow. 

“Maker’s breath, are you alright?” Cullen kneels down in the snow, helping her sit up and waving the other recruits back. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine. Son of a bitch, that hurts though…”

“Why didn’t you cast a barrier? You are the mage that Acacia- The Herald- recruited, are you not?” 

“Oh, I thought about it, but I know you don’t like magic, I didn’t want to startle you. You looked like you were having a bad enough day as is.” Her words cause Cullen to pause in his steps as he helps her towards a chest she could sit down on.

“That’s… thoughtful, but I think a barrier would have been fine. You needn’t take a shield to the face for a reason like that.”

“I would, though. Anyways, Josephine said you could show me to an empty tent, told me to give you this.”

“You are strange.” Cullen mutters, staring at her intently for a moment before looking down at the scrap of paper she handed him. “Come on, I’ll help you to the healers after this.”

“That’s not necessary, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“It’s bleeding, you know.”

“Is it?!” Felicity quickly brings her hand up to check, forgetting for a moment what had just happened, and pressing her palm to the wound. “Ow!” She yanks her hand away, and sure enough, there is the telltale stain of crimson on her pale skin.

“Why would you do that?!”

“I… I don’t know, but still, I think it’s okay-”

“The healers-”

“I don’t want to make a fuss, really, they have more important things to do that tend to a little bump and a cut.”

“This is what they are here for, you can’t just ignore-”

“Tell you what, Cullen, I’ll go to the healers if you do.” This causes him to pause, looking at her with narrowed, suspicious eyes. 

“I don’t need the healer, I’m perfectly fine.”

“Yeah, and I’m a pine tree. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like shit, buddy. You’re too pale, too thin, you’ve got that pinched look again, no doubt your headache has been with you for days, if not weeks.”

“You hardly know me! How can you say that I’m too-”

“Look, you want to be a macho man, I get it, asking for help or whatever is a jab to your pride, but how do you think Acacia is going to feel seeing you like this? Do you know how much of that potion from her Keeper she’s been making while we were away? Just so she could come back prepared in case your headaches came back?”

“She has?” Cullen’s cheeks tint red, his hand raising to rub the back of his neck nervously, no longer defensive.

“Yeah, she’s been super worried. I swear she’s asked every soldier you sent to us while away how you looked, subtly, of course, but the point remains.”

“But the healers ask too many questions…” The words were out before he could stop them, though he immediately regrets saying them. Something like that was only going to have _her_ asking questions as well. Cullen is about to backtrack, but Felicity just gives him a smile.

“Alright then, you can accompany me, I’ll have your symptoms, and then give you what they give me. How about that?”

“You are going to lie to the healers?”

“If that’s what it takes, then sure. This is me, right?” Felicity points to a tent near the edge of the small forest of tents, right near a little patch of elfroot.

“Um, yes, this will be yours-”

“Great, let’s head to the healers.” Cullen doesn’t say anything as they walk, more than a little confused at the small elf he is theoretically escorting, though she is the one leading him. Both are lost in thought, not seeing Solas as he enters the gate with the others, but he definitely sees them. Solas has to hold himself back from rushing over at the sight of blood staining the side of Felicity’s face, the deep crimson stark against her pale skin. She’d made it more than clear that his help wasn’t wanted, he needed to remember that. With a low muttered curse, he stomps off towards his cabin.

“My word, what happened to you?” One of the elderly ladies says, pulling both her and the Commander into one of the tents.

“New recruit.”

“I see, well, have a seat, I’ll get you fixed up in a moment.” 

“Ma’am, I’ve also been having frequent headaches and body aches. Is there anything I can take for that?”

“Oh, are you now?”

“Yeah, all this running around Thedas probably doesn’t help.” Felicity laughs, but Cullen just remains frozen. He didn’t think she would actually do it, but here they are, lying to the healers. “Are there potions for that kind of thing?”

“There are indeed. Would you like a couple to take when they flare up?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful!” She comes back, a small satchel full of clinking potions and an old wooden staff. The old woman gently bops her on the head with it, a little healing spell easing the pain in an instant. “Whoa, that works fast! Thank you!” Felicity jumps up with a big grin, shaking the woman’s hand heartily before linking her arm with Cullen’s and walking them out.

“That was… quick.”

“Hmm, and effective. Look! You should have plenty to try out, let me just… check them quickly.” Felicity closes her eyes, her magic swirling out and into the bag, searching for any hint of lyrium in the potions. When she finds none, she smiles and passes the bag off to Cullen. “All good; hopefully, they help.”

“Thank you, Lady Felicity. You didn’t need to do all this…”

“No, but I wanted to. Acacia has been dying to see you again, the first thing she sees on your face shouldn’t be a grimace. Good luck with the meeting!” With one last smile and wave to the dazed Commander, Felicity ducks into her tent. 

Small is an understatement.

All that is in the tent is a bed roll and a chest off to the other side. Nothing else could have fit, Felicity thankful that she didn’t have many belongings anymore, because she was barely able to fit the small packs worth of stuff she’d accumulated over the last month.

In the relative silence of her new abode, she has time to think, anger once again rising to the surface at Solas’ behavior. But with the anger comes guilt and no small amount of sadness. While Varric had become a friend, and Acacia still was friendly towards her, Solas had been the one friendly face she could always turn to with a question. And she’s pushed him away. Sure, he was overbearing sometimes, but it probably was just because he worried over her. She was new to this world, a rare soul who had magic he’d never seen before, of course, he’d want to protect that. And she had been pretty bad at living in this very hostile world, it was so different from home after all. 

The more she thought, the angrier she got with herself. She’d overreacted, lashed out at him because she was frustrated about her lack of progress where her magic was concerned. Felicity wanted to apologize, but he no doubt wanted nothing to do with her anymore, he’d made that clear when he stomped off. 

With a frown, she cupped her hands together, filling the small space with magic and watching it swirl around. There was so much she wanted to try, wanted to do, but with everyone’s feelings about magic already out of whack from the rebellion and the Breach, she knew better than to push her luck. 

She spends what little remained of the day in her tent, quickly using magic to create dinner for herself. With some practice, she could probably make food from back home, but for now, she just stuck with dried meats and plain bread. 

The next few days she remains mostly in her tent catching up on rest, and berating herself for her poor behavior. Felicity dared not go outside lest she comes face to face with Solas. She’s entirely unsure of how she should act or would act, and while she desperately wants to go back in time, she doesn’t think that kind of friendly relationship possible anymore.

As night once again falls over Haven, everyone else retiring, the sound of muffled snores comes from most of the tents around her. Felicity creeps out, staff in hand, determined to practice again and get it right. Doing her best to minimize the sound of crunching snow underfoot, she heads into the forest outside of Haven to once again train. 

Several bruises later, she is sitting in the snow, glaring at where the staff had landed after the last botched attempt. Tears have long since started to stream down her cheeks, burning cold as they freeze against her skin in the face of the frigid wind the Frostback Mountains are known for. 

“Stupid idiot, why can’t you get this right?!” She doesn’t know what she’s more angry at, the staff- as if it is at fault here- or herself for being so inept at this one thing. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Felicity stomps over to the staff, snatching it up from the snow, and starting again. Two twists in, the staff blade catches the back of her leg, the metal cutting through her pants and into her skin. “Mother fucker!” Just as she’s about to throw the staff again, she hears the sound of snow under boots, freezing when she hears a voice calling out.

“Who’s there?” Felicity is so close to screaming when she hears Cullen’s tired voice, of all the people, he was probably one of the worst. At least it wasn’t Solas. 

“It’s just me, Commander.” She sighs as she called back to him, Cullen stepped into the small clearing she’d been using for practice that night.

“Lady Felicity? What are you doing?” He should be more suspicious, finding a mage out here with a staff, doing Maker only knows what, but he’s too tired to care at the moment.

“Practicing, or trying to anyway. You?”

“I can’t sleep, sometimes a walk in the cold helps settle my mind. What are you practicing?”

“Using a staff. Everyone else can cast magic so effortlessly through it, looking so graceful as they twirl it, but I can’t manage it in the slightest.”

“Why do you want to twirl it?”

“Acacia and Solas do, it looks neat. And they can cast properly, my magic is like a poor copy when I try to do what they do.”

“You don’t need to do all that extra work to cast magic.” Cullen says with a little laugh. He knew what she was talking about, though, having seen many a mage doing their best to add a bit of flare.

“Doesn’t it help with using the staff, though? Like moving the magic or something?”

“Maker, no. It is nothing more than flare.” Cullen finally reaches her, noticing all the bumps and scrapes, the frozen tears still on her cheeks, feeling bad at the shock on her face. “The staff is a focus for mages, to help them concentrate the power they pull through the Fade, it does not do that any differently if you merely point or gesture with the staff versus if you spin it around.”

“All this time I’ve spent training because I thought that was the reason I was so bad, and you’re telling me that’s not the reason at all?”

“Have you not cast with a staff before?”

“Not before coming here, no.”

“Then that is your problem. You don’t need something to help you focus. For whatever reason, you manage that on your own. Trying to force the magic through a focus is likely fracturing the spell, so it doesn’t manifest correctly.”

“So I don’t need the staff at all?!”

“Well, I’d still keep it if I were you. Many times you mages forget that when you run out of mana, you still have a big stick in your hands that you can fight with. Hitting a demon with that would work in a pinch. Better if you learn how to actually fight with a staff as a weapon and not a magical focus.” Felicity plops onto the ground with a look of shock and dismay, eyes locked onto the staff in her hands. When Cullen sits down, leaning against a tree, she looks up at him with curious eyes.

“I thought you didn’t like magic? Why are you helping?”

“For many years I’ve treated mages poorly simply because they had magic, that was... unworthy of me. I am trying to do better. It helps when I can see mages helping with the Breach, see people like you, and The Herald who just want to help and not mages… killing people in the streets or blowing up Chantry’s.”

“Kirkwall was bad, huh?”

“That is a gross understatement, but yes, it was.” Felicity watches as Cullen zones out, eyes filled with pain and fear at the memories playing before his eyes. 

“You’re good here. I’m glad you got out, Cullen, that you’re with the Inquisition.” He snaps back, giving Felicity a small smile.

“As am I.” For a while, they sat in silence, both lost in thought. 

“So how do you fight with a staff? Just swing it and hit people?” With a low chuckle, Cullen stands, motioning for her to do the same.

“I’ll show you.”

For a few hours, they train, Cullen, spending no small amount of that time laughing at Felicity’s horrible attempts at attacking him. But she does get better, at least a little, showing more improvement with this than all her time trying to practice twirling and spinning the staff. It was nice to see Cullen relaxing a little around her, and for the first time since she got to Thedas and learned of her magic, she’s not afraid of him locking her away out of fear, fear that Kinloch and Kirkwall had instilled in him. 

“Keep it up, and I think you will surprise just about everyone the next time a demon or bandit comes at you.” Cullen offers her a hand up from where he’d knocked her down, Felicity taking it and grinning up at him.

“Yeah I will. I can’t wait to see their faces, though hopefully, I don’t have to show off this skill for a while.” They head back towards Haven, bidding each other a good remainder of the night once they reach her tent. Felicity falls into the bedroll with a groan, sore all over, but feeling so proud of herself at her latest accomplishment. It had also helped her work off some of the anger she still felt in regards to her behavior towards Solas.

As sleep came for her, she idly wondered if Cullen would help her train again if she asked, he was so sweet.

~~~~~

During the evenings and nights when both Felicity and Cullen couldn’t sleep, they would train. Felicity showed significant improvement and was beyond thrilled with how her training was progressing. During the days through, Cullen had more work to do than Felicity could imagine. Those times she would spend exercising and training on her own in the forest outside of Haven, or sitting in her tent sulking. She wished she could go back and behave differently towards Solas, she wished she could take her words back.

But she couldn’t.

So instead, she made sure to only venture into Haven when she needed to eat, and only for breakfast and supper. Whenever she’d see Solas in passing, the urge to run to him, to apologize, to beg for forgiveness is nearly overwhelming. The fear of his anger, of his rejection of her apology, is more powerful though, and every time she ducks behind a door or races out the gates. 

Today, with the practice staff Cullen had given her to train with, she focuses on beating the shit out of some trees, her depressed attitude making her wish she could put on headphones and ignore the world like she used to. Or just music to listen to. Maryden had only just shown up in Haven, and was still settling in and hadn’t taken up her post at the tavern yet.

In no time, Felicity is sitting on the ground, staring at her hands, her staff leaning against a tree. She scrambles for something to cling to, something to pull her from her dark thoughts. Nothing comes to mind, and she flops back into the snow, ignoring as it starts to melt and soak her back.

“I wish they had snow pants…” She mutters, sliding her arms and legs back and forth, making a messy snow angel before standing, finding another clear patch of snow and doing it again. And again. And again. 

“What are you- are you okay?” Felicity looks up to see Krem and the Chargers there, Bull pushing through them to see what everyone was looking at.

“Sure. Don’t mind me, just making snow angels. You need something?”

“Come on, we’re making a trip back to the Hinterlands with some supplies for the refugees there. You’re coming with.”

“Is that so? This is the first I’m hearing of it.”

“Cullen and Josie said I could bring some others with me if I thought we needed them. You’re coming.” Felicity snorts but stands up anyways, craning her neck back to look up at Bull. 

“You really think you need more people?”

“No, but I think you need to get out of Haven, get some air.”

“There is nothing _but_ air here, Bull.” He doesn’t say anything back to her as he turns, the other Chargers following suit and making their way out of the forest.

“Better pack quick, short stuff, we’re leaving in ten.” There nothing better for her to do right now, might as well go. And with that irritating thought, she throws everything she owns back into her pack and heads towards where Bull and Cullen are discussing some final details, Krem, and the other loading up the last of the supplies into one of the Inquisition’s new carts.

Because they are only going to the Hinterlands, they aren’t taking any mounts, only the one horse to pull the cart. Everyone takes their place around it, immediately talking amongst themselves and keeping preoccupied as the group makes their way through now familiar surroundings. 

“You and Solas are still fighting?” Bull eventually hangs back, letting Krem take the lead so he can match pace with Felicity. She lets out a sigh, knowing this was going to come up eventually. She thought he’d at least be a little more subtle what with his spy training and everything. 

“Yeah. Well, I mean, no, I guess not. It was just that one fight.”

“But you’re both still avoiding each other.”

“Did you pick that up all on your own, or did it take your Ben-Hassthras skills to figure it out?” The moment the words leave her lips she regrets them, and she interrupts Bull before he can say anything. “I’m sorry, that was rude and uncalled for. Just… it was my fault, and the guilt is eating me alive, and clearly, I’m not handling it well. I shouldn’t have snapped at you, I apologize.” Felicity doesn’t dare look up at him, settling instead for frowning at the beaten path they are following, doing her best to keep frustrated tears from welling up. 

“Don’t worry about it, I’m the one who brought it up. Any reason, in particular, you haven’t made up yet?”

“He wouldn’t want to.”

“Did he say that?”

“No, I’m saying that. I was- I screamed at Solas, insulted him, told him to butt out of my life, to stop treating me like a child when he was only worried. It’s better like this, he needs to focus on helping Acacia and the Inquisition. I was only ever… a burden.” Saying the words, making them real instead of just feelings suffocating her hurts more than she wants to admit. 

“Have you seen him lately?” Felicity snorts out a little laugh, shaking her head and quickly scrubbing the tears from her eyes. 

“No, I’ve been doing my damnedest to do anything but that.” Bull lets out a noncommittal hum, Felicity frowning before finally looking up at him. He’s staring in front of them, face utterly unreadable. “What?” Again, Bull doesn’t quite answer, merely shrugging his shoulder. “Oh don’t play these games, what is it? Is he okay?”

“He just seems tired these days, looks a little worse for wear. I don’t think he’s getting much sleep.” Bull says the words casually as if they were talking about the weather or what they had for lunch.

“Oh god, he’s not sleeping!? But he needs to! He has to sleep to research the Fade and the Veil! For the Inquisition! Motherfucker, why didn’t you say this a week ago!” Bull smiles as Felicity immediately turns tale and starts running back the way they came. “Don’t think we’re done talking, Bull!” Felicity threatens over her shoulder as she sprints, his loud laugh the only response she gets. 

“Make sure she gets back, alright.” He says to the other outsider he’d brought along with his Chargers, the young soldier giving a quick nod before taking off after Felicity. They’d gotten maybe an hour’s worth of walking in, it would take a little bit before she got back, but she’d be home in time for the evening meal. 

It’s a good thing she’d been training and living in Thedas for a while now. Had Felicity knows that if she’d tried to run like this back on Earth, she’d collapsed after a few minutes. Worry grips her gut as her feet pound into the dirt path. She had to make this right, had to try at least! Solas had taken care of her since she found herself in this strange new world, she shouldn’t have repaid him like this!

When her muscles start to ache, lungs burning, she lets out a little burst of magic to keep herself going. The sky was beginning to darken, Haven no doubt settling in for supper and then some rest before starting another day come tomorrow. She could apologize, and he could sleep tonight. A sharp stab of guilt spears her chest. He loved the Fade, loved exploring his dreams. If he’d genuinely been unable to sleep well these past days like she had if she’d truly taken what he enjoyed most from him… she wasn’t sure how she was going to cope. 

By the time Haven came into view, Felicity was covered in dust and sweat, panting, pausing only for a moment at her tent to try and clean herself up a bit and toss her pack in. She weaves through the crowd heading to and from the kitchens, scanning everyone, looking for a familiar bald head and pointed ears. When she doesn’t see him there, she turns and walks the familiar path to the cabin they had shared.

Felicity’s stomach drops when she sees him stepping out, talking with Acacia, who is happily listening to every word, her arms full of books. She stops midstep, not even daring to breath as they both turn and see her standing there. Felicity’s mouth opens, not that any words leave, her eyes darting back and forth between Solas and Acacia. 

Bull had been right; Solas didn’t look like he’d had a solid night’s rest in a while. 

Acacia, mostly unfazed, keeps walking, her smile growing as she watches Felicity struggle for words. With one last nod to Solas and one for Felicity, she heads towards her own cabin. It was high time they reconciled, and The Herald planned on giving them plenty of space to do so. 

“Da’len-” Solas catches himself, quietly clearing his throat. “Lady Felicity, how can I help you?” The stiff formality was like a punch to the gut, and despite the urge to run away, Felicity forces herself to take a step, then another and another, until she is standing right in front of him. She leans back to look him in the eye, he deserved that much at least. 

“Solas, I-” He cuts her off with a wave of his hand, her heart crashing to the floor as she stops talking. She’d fucked up so bad he wouldn’t even let her apologize! 

“We should perhaps not discuss this out in the open?” He suggests, motioning to the cabin before turning and opening the door again. She doesn’t know if that makes her feel better or not, but Felicity doesn’t argue, quietly following him in. Not much had changed, though there seemed to be far more books in here now. They were scattered everywhere, covering every surface along with hasty notes. When she sees even the bed covered in notes she can’t help but grimace. “What is it you wished to discuss?” Felicity takes a deep breath, wringing her hands as she again forces herself to meet his gaze.

“I- I am-” Her voice shakes, her nervously clearing it, not helping at all. “I am sorry. For everything. I-” This time she’s cut off by a sharp knock on the door. Felicity doesn’t move a step as he quickly answers it, flinching when she hears the sharp tones of an irritated Cassandra standing just outside the cabin. They talk quietly before the door is being shut once again. But only after a disgusted noise from Cassandra and an annoyed huff from Solas. “I-Is everything okay?”

“It seems the Chancellor is once again making demands about the treatment of mages in Haven. Cassandra was just letting me- us- know that should he start shouting demands we can simply ignore him.”

“He’s not gonna be happy no matter what we do.”

“So it would seem.” For a long moment, silence hangs in the air, Felicity’s eyes had dropped to her fidgeting fingers, Solas taking a moment to study her. Clearly, guilt had been eating away at her as much as it had him. With a sigh, he draws her gaze back to him, offering her a tiny smile.

“I think we both were out of line.” Felicity mutely nods, trying to keep relieved tears from falling. Solas only barely manages to stop himself from reaching out to comfort her, instead offering her an out before her tears start to fall in earnest. “You should get some rest, you look tired.”

“You should too.” Felicity squeaks before running from the cabin as she starts to cry from relief and regret. 

They couldn’t go back to how they were before, and that little thought brings more pain than Felicity wants to admit.


	5. Chapter 5

Sleep doesn’t come easily to either of them, Felicity spending most of the night crying and moping in her tent, Solas throwing himself into his books to keep his mind from spinning out of control. Try as he might to convince himself that this was for the best, that they could never have been more, he just continues to feel hollow.

In the morning, both head to the kitchens to eat, expecting the other to be absent. They freeze when they see each other, Felicity immediately dropping her gaze to the floor, fighting every urge telling her to run. They had apologized, made up… sort of, it was time they moved past the childish evasion of each other. So with shaky legs and a weak smile, she nods to him, walking past and grabbing the first food, her hands land on one. Felicity doesn’t even look to see what it is before sitting at their usual table, but when she glances down to see a bowl of Thedas’ bland porridge, she can’t stop the frown twisting her face.

This was surely going to be a bad day.

The first bite is hard to swallow, the mush tasting of absolutely nothing and making her stomach roll uncomfortably. The second is no easier, though it does almost end up spat over the table when Felicity is startled, Solas sitting across from her with a nod. Felicity muscles through the bite, eventually forcing it down so she could at least greet him, but he beats her to it. 

“Good morning, Lady Felicity, I did not think you liked porridge?” 

“Hello, morning, um… no, I don’t. I thought- I thought it was something else when I grabbed it. S-silly me.” Blood rushes to color her cheeks, Felicity ducking her head, hoping beyond hope that her long messy curls would hide the blush. He gives her a hum in response, thankfully not drawing attention to her blush, before reaching out and swapping his plate for her bowl. “Solas?” Her embarrassment is forgotten for a moment as she stares at the plate of fruit and berries, bread, and cheese neatly set on the side.

Her usual breakfast.

“We should not waste food, I do not mind the porridge.” He leaves no room for argument, quickly taking a bite of said porridge as he opens the book he brought along.

“Thank you.” It’s almost a whisper, emotions clogging her throat, stopping her from saying anything else. Probably for the best, because at that moment she wanted to beg and plead to go back to how they were. 

She gets another two bites in, though these she enjoys, before they interrupted again, this time by Varric.

"Alright, Firecracker, a deal's a deal.”

“What deal?” Solas asks, his face already turned down in a frown, disapproving eyes falling onto the unapologetic dwarf.

“I asked if he could find me some journals to write in, something bound up so I could stop losing the loose pages of paper that Josie gave me.”

“And he demanded reading your journal as payment?” It is easy to hear the rising anger in Solas’ voice, but Felicity is quick to reassure him.

“No, no, no! I asked for a few, one to journal in and another for notes, and one for… for poetry and lyrics. When I get depressed, it helps me focus, stop spiraling. He asked if he would be able to read what I put in it, and I agreed. He’s not going to read my journal or anything. But thank you, Solas.” Felicity smiles at him, the first genuine smile she’s had since their fight, no matter that it’s only a tiny grin. “I should warn you, Varric, I’ve never been good at remembering whole poems or even songs for that matter if I don’t have at least the melody to sing along with. These will mostly be just bits and pieces.”

“That’s more than enough.” Felicity rolls her eyes as he holds out a hand for the book. Solas returns to his own tome, though he can’t deny the curiosity burning within to see what Felicity found memorable in poems and songs. Varric, with a mug of ale despite the early hours, joins them at the table quickly, flipping through pages. He wasn’t sure what to expect; he’d been more teasing than anything, but when she agreed, he figured it wouldn’t hurt anything. 

Varric is… pleasantly surprised by the words he finds scrawled across the pages. 

“This first one-” Felicity doesn’t need to look to remember the first entry she’d made. In every journal and notebook, she’d ever had for this kind of random writing had always begun with the same little poem. Her mother's favorite short poem.

“If you are a dreamer, come in. / If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, / A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer… / If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, / For we have some flax-golden tales to spin. / Come in! / Come in!” Quietly she recites the poem, Solas’ book long forgotten as he stares at Felicity, waiting for more.

“Yeah, did you write that?”

“No, Shel Silverstein did; it was my mother's favorite poem. She had it cross-stitched and hanging in the kitchen. I didn’t come up with anything in there, Varric, as I said, this is just my favorite bits, my favorite songs. But I can’t remember most of the original authors and artists. Names have always been hard for me.”

“There’s more than I thought there would be.” There is an awkward silence in the air as both Solas and Varric remember what she had said, not moments before. She’d do this when she’d get depressed, trapped in anxiety and darkness spinning out of control. “You’ll have to give me a moment, I’m going to read them all and pick a favorite,” Varric says it cheerfully, trying to get everyone's mind away from Felicity and her depression, not that he was overly successful. “You to Chuckles, you’ve gotta read some of this-”

“I do not wish to overstep-”

“It’s okay Solas, I don’t mind. It’s only fair, after all.” Felicity doesn’t look up from her plate, trying to school her features as Varric reads. Not everything written in there is as lighthearted as the first entry, and now that she thinks of it, it’s embarrassing to have Varric readying all of it. She figured he’d take a quick glance and move on, Felicity hadn’t expected he'd actually find the scribbles of her favorite poems interesting. 

“Yep, this one.” Varric slides the now open book back across the table, tapping his finger over one of the longer entries. “What’s that language at the end, though?”

> “And I will show you something different from either
> 
> Your shadow at morning striding behind you
> 
> Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
> 
> I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
> 
> _Frisch weht der Wind_
> 
> _Der Heimat zu_
> 
> _Mein Irisch Kind,_
> 
> _Wo weilest du?”_

“You know, the whole poem is much longer than what I could remember. T.S. Elliot wrote it, and several others that I have in here. He’s one of my favorites. The language, it’s… it’s what my grandma spoke, pretty obscure out here.” Felicity is not mentally kicking herself for not checking to see if anything in there would point to her not being from Thedas. Before Varric can question her further, Solas takes the book, flipping through the pages just as quick as Varric had, absorbing every word, and making the off-handed comment to keep Varric distracted. The dwarf is no idiot, though, and knows when someone is trying to hide something or distract him. He also knows that right now, more worry and stress is the last thing Felicity needs, so he plays along. 

“This one. Is it a song or a poem?” Solas asks, having known he'd pick it the moment he read it through, and in place of an answer, she begins to quietly sing the words he'd just read.

“The woodpecker, he flew, both day and night. His poor soul had been worn by life’s tricky plight. A soldier of life, he considered himself. A spirit so bold sometimes he surprised himself. Yet he sang, ‘if only, if only,’ the woodpecker sighed, ‘the bark on the tree was as soft as the sky.’ While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, crying to the moon, ‘if only, if only. If only, if only.’ The wolf, my friend, often misunderstood. A man of fate, he was waiting for good. But sometimes he felt so incredibly lonely. All he wanted was a friend, so he waited only.”

The bubble of noise from people going about their business and eating breakfast, of recruits joking with each other and messengers running in and out covered up the sound of her song so no one besides Solas and Varric could really hear. 

“So he sang, ‘if only, if only,’ the woodpecker sighed, 'the bark on the tree was as soft as the sky.' While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, crying to the moon, ‘if only, if only. If only, if only.’ The woodpecker and wolf never did become friends, absorbed in their own thoughts of the perfect day’s end. The bark on the trees, as soft as the wolf’s fur, the woodpecker’s presence, as precious as myrrh. So they both sang, ‘if only, if only,’ the woodpecker sighed, ‘the bark on the tree was as soft as the skies.’ While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, crying to the moon, ‘if only, if only. If only, if only.’”

When she finishes all three sit in silence, Solas, and Varric still in shock, Felicity embarrassed that she’d gone and sung the whole song. Her hands shake as she closes the journal, clutching it close to her chest as she waits for someone to break the silence, sure that if she opened her mouth, she was going to be sick. 

“Of course you’d like the one thing in there with a wolf in it. What is your obsession with them, Chuckles?” Varric says with a laugh, again trying to lighten the mood, motioning to the pendant that Solas always wore. They banter back and forth, easing the tense atmosphere around their table, but Felicity can’t help but frown. She was forgetting something, something important. It was on the tip of her tongue, but nothing came to mind as she tried to force the memories to light. With a sigh, she lets the nagging feeling fade into the background as she focuses back on Solas, his tone exasperated as he addressed the dwarf currently trying to get a rise out of him. 

“Well, shit, that’s my cue to leave.” Varric is up and out of the kitchens before either elf can respond, both pairs of eyes flickering to the other door where a grumpy looking Seeker was entering, her sharp eyes scanning the room in an instant.

“There you are lass!” Rylen’s sudden voice from behind has Felicity jumping, the lieutenant laughing as he holds his hands up in a sign that he means no harm. “Cullen was saying how you were looking for a sparring partner, get you used to something unpredictable instead of just drills. I was going to run some new recruits through the ring, see what they’ve got if you care to join?”

“Oh, yes, thank you!” Solas’ hand is reaching out before he knows what he’s doing, his long fingers wrapping around Felicity’s arm. She freezes, half-standing half crouching over the chair, turning to look at him over her shoulder with wide eyes.

“Sparring?” The concern in his eyes makes her heart warm, giving her hope that maybe they hadn’t ruined everything after all. She finishes standing, though she makes sure to stay close enough, so she doesn’t need to pull her arm from his grasp.

“Cullen offered to train me with a staff, using it as a weapon instead of just a focus. I figured since my magic isn’t as powerful as yours in a fight, it would be a good idea to have a backup plan.” Solas pushes the jealous feeling welling up in his chest down before it shows on his face. He has no right to say anything, and what’s more, he should be trying to keep the distance between them before it becomes impossible to resist her. Still, his hand is reluctant to let go of her, her skin warm against his.

“I see. Best of luck. Here, take this with you, I think it will help you get a better grasp on barriers and wards.” Solas slides the book he’d been reading across the table to her, before releasing her. He stands as well, the now-empty bowl of porridge in hand. He turns before either Rylen or Felicity could offer an invitation to join, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stay away.

“Shall we?” Rylen offers Felicity an arm, the elf staring at Solas’ back for but a moment more before taking it. On the way, she comments on his accent, loving it to pieces just as she had in the brief conversations she’d had with in-game Rylen when he was stationed at Griffon Wing Keep. When she flawlessly imitates it, Rylen physically startles, stopping their leisurely walk to stare at her with wide eyes.

“Didn’t think I could do it, huh?” Felicity's smile is smug as she feels laughter bubbling up and out, enjoying the light feeling she’d been devoid of these past two weeks.

“Not many can, at least not well enough to pass as someone from Starkhaven. If I didn’t know better, I’d have sworn you were born and raised there. Where did you pick it up?” Felicity just shrugs, tugging on his arm to get him walking again.

“No where in particular, just kinda… learned it after a while. I can do lots of accents.” She then demonstrates, perfectly mimicking Cassandra’s Nevaran accent, an Orlesian accent, and when she starts talking exactly like Sera, Rylen just about falls over laughing. They are close enough to the other recruits at that point to draw attention, all looking curiously to see just what was making Rylen laugh so hard. Felicity just smiles innocently, moving to join them with a little wave. They all wait patiently for Rylen to compose himself, though every time he looks at Felicity, he can’t help but chuckle a bit more.

Rylen sorts them into pairs, Felicity is matched up with an older gentleman- at least when compared to all the babyfaces around her- who looks like he should probably be with the main forces than here with the fresh recruits, but she just shrugs it off. He’s perhaps a bit older than Cullen, gray just starting to pepper his dark hair and scruffy beard, but Rylen doesn’t bat an eye when he sees him.

They are all given training weapons, both Felicity and her sparring partner given staffs, everyone else going for swords and shields. They all spread out so as not to inadvertently interfere with anyone else’s match, and begin, Rylen carefully working his way through, watching everyone with a critical eye. 

“Your name?”

“Felicity, you?”

“Dáithí.” Her face lights up, but his eyes just narrow. “What?”

“That’s a neat name, is all. Better than Jim or Bob or something. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dáithí. Sorry in advance if I’m not up to par, I’ve only been at this for about a week.” He doesn’t give her any reply, only shifting his stance, holding the staff at the ready. It seemed the time for talking was done. Felicity follows suit, relaxing her shoulders and taking a deep breath.

The first round is over before Felicity even knows what happened, only certain that she’d lost as she looks up in shock at Dáithí as she sits in the muddy slush of half-melted snow mixed with dirt. They don’t say anything, Felicity standing again, both slipping into their stances before once again clashing. 

In another blink of an eye, Felicity is on the ground. 

Again and again, she finds herself on her ass, bruises starting to form from where he would catch her with the staff and send her tumbling. Dáithí’s face is blank, not in Tranquil-I’ve-have-no-emotions kind of way, but in a controlled way, something she’d seen on Solas when he’s with others sometimes. 

It hasn’t escaped her notice that despite Rylen watching as she is continually knocked down, he doesn’t once step in, looking over the fights with sharp eyes. Whether that’s of his own doing, or something Cullen had told him, she didn’t care. She was going to hit him at least once before quitting. It’s clear that whoever Dáithí is, it’s not some recruit. He moves too fluidly, too intently to be new at this, each and every action is measured and executed with just enough force to sting, to send Felicity to the ground, but not seriously injured. 

Felicity stands again, holding up her hand to have him wait for a moment while she collects herself. With her eyes shut, she takes a few deep breaths, focusing everything she has within her, ignoring the other sounds around them. As soon as everything is silent, she opens her eyes again. She loosens her grip on the staff before nodding to her sparring partner. 

Felicity doesn’t notice that in her effort to silence everyone around, to block them from her thoughts, she’d cast a barrier around both she and Dáithí. Not a sound made it through. He didn’t react visibly, having been told she was a mage from the start. Rylen’s eyes go wide when he walks close to them again, encountering the barrier she’d placed and quickly stepping through as it was only meant to keep sound out. 

This time, instead of focusing on what Cullen had shown her, instead of trying to block or parry, she keeps all her joints loose. She was no match for his strength, that was obvious, and he undoubtedly had her beat when it came to speed, but she’d wager she was at least a little bit more flexible than him in all his leather armor. When she bends out of the way of his first attack, the staff swishing past her only a millimeter away, she can’t help but grin victoriously. It’s a short-lived victory as Dáithí quickly catches her with the other end and sends her back into the muck. 

But her smile doesn’t falter as she quickly hops back up. Every time she dodges one of his attacks, every time she manages to make an attack even if it doesn’t land, her mood lifts. There is soon more mud and slush on her than clothes, her muscles aching and lungs sore, but still she stands again. 

The victorious smile grows when her staff comes within a hair's breadth of glancing off his armor, even though in the next heartbeat, she’s on her ass again. They continue long after the other pairs leave, Rylen staying to watch them, amazed that Felicity just kept getting back up. 

Under her breath, she starts to hum as she dodges, getting better and better even though she knows he’s holding himself back, giggling when the tuneless song turns into I’ll Make a Man Out of You. It was apt, she supposed, though she doubted she’d be as good as Mulan after the song was finished. Dáithí didn’t seem to care that she was humming, his gaze as steady as always.

The bell in Haven rang, most heading into the village to get their noon meal, but Felicity stayed facing Dáithí, her chest heaving even though she yet smiled. She is in the process of getting up when Solas walks out of the main gates, looking for her, arms full with more books, not expecting to find her still sparring looking like she’d spent the day rolling around in the mud. Despite the filth covering her, despite never once landing a hit and getting knocked down time and again, despite facing someone who was clearly above her level, Solas was surprised to see her genuinely happy. 

After another quick stretch, she stands at the ready again, dodging his first and second attack, before accidentally slipping in the mud. Instead of catching herself, she goes with it, landing harshly on one knee before quickly spinning, moving her staff horizontally behind her, and cracking into his back as she finishes the impromptu swing. The breath is knocked out of Dáithí, the man stumbling forward a step, catching himself relatively easily, but it matters little to Felicity. With a loud shout, her barrier finally falls; Solas now able to hear her joyous laughter as she clumsily stands before turning to Dáithí with the biggest grin yet.

“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hit you that hard! Holy shit, but did you see?!” Her staff drops to the ground as she reaches out to him, a flicker of restoration magic already dancing around her fingers and across her palms. Without waiting for a response, she heals him, not that there was much to repair. It’s only his years of practice controlling his emotions that keeps him from reacting as the spell- far more than would be needed for a simple injury like a bruise- is pulsing through him. Aches he didn’t even know he had were suddenly gone. She continues to happily chatter, chest heaving as she pants to catch her breath. “I knew I could do it!” Felicity does a happy little dance before racing over to where Rylen is standing with his own smile, nodding as she excitedly talks to him. 

Dáithí couldn’t help the small indulgent grin that quicked up his lips for just a heartbeat. Cullen had been right, this young woman was something else entirely. By the time she turned back to him, the controlled, stoic mask was back in place.

“Please tell me you'll keep training with me!” He gives her a quick nod, only barely keeping himself from staring at the hope and happiness that filled her eyes. When Cullen asked him to help train a young mage, Dáithí had been skeptical, but he owed the Commander a favor, so he’d agreed. When he saw the small elven woman he was paired with, Dáithí thought the sparring would be over after the first round. She was delicate, dainty, surely one hit, one moment of getting knocked down into the slush, and she would be off and crying. 

Instead, she stood, time and again, happier each time.

“Come back after the evening meal.” Without waiting for her to agree or disagree, he walks off, nodding to Rylen, who gives a quick salute. 

“Felicity, I have some more books-” Solas, having finally made his way over, is interrupted when Felicity spins and grins up at him as brightly as she had before they’d had their fight. Everything that had happened with Solas, all the depression and anxiety are forgotten as she continues to ride the high of victory.

“Solas, did you see?! I landed a hit! It was kind of an accident, but I still did it!” His gaze softens as Felicity continues to rant and rave about all that she’d tried. With a flick of the wrist, Solas sees her free of mud and dirt, her many, _many_ bruises set on their way to healing. 

“You did well.” She beams up at him, and he sighs, content to see her light back, even if it was just for a moment.

~~~~~

“You should have seen it, Cullen.” Rylen shakes his head that night, knowing that Dáithí and Felicity wouldn’t need anyone to look over their match. They probably didn’t need it earlier either, but Rylen was still uncertain about pairing up the two.

“I had a feeling she would do well with him.”

“I can’t believe you managed to convince him to do it!” Dáithí was a good man, a good soldier, but never was he overly personable, never had he taken on the task of teaching. Rylen had feared he’d break Felicity in the first match, but he should have known better. 

“He owed me a favor, and it’s good to keep him busy since…” Cullen didn’t finish, he didn’t have to. Dáithí had come with Cullen, Rylen, and many others from Kirkwall. He’d lost just about everything in the aftermath, it came as no surprise he wanted out of the city just as intensely as Cullen. 

“They’re going to train again tonight, you know. If Felicity keeps at this, I reckon she’ll shock the bandit that sees her as the weakest link in the group and tries to go after her.” Cullen nods, reaching for another stack of reports only to end up leaning heavily against the desk when a spike of pain bursts through his skull. “Do you have any more potions?” Rylen’s voice is quiet, not risking anyone else outside the tent hearing him. Cullen grits his teeth, pointing to the chest near his cot. It takes only a moment before Rylen is back passing freshly opened bottles to him, Cullen downing them just as fast as he can manage. It takes several minutes, but eventually, he can open his eyes again, drawing a deep breath before quietly thanking Rylen. 

“We’ve had some reports of people in the forest, and not our own people, not refugees. Every time we send forces out, they can’t find anything. I’ve increased the number of our patrols, but I’ll need you to keep a close on the new recruits. Leliana can only do her background checks so fast, we need to be careful just who we are letting into our ranks.”

“Easy enough. Though most seem to have trouble figuring out which end to grip the sword by.” Rylen chuckles, despite the oppressive tension in the air, remember one of the young men earlier who very clearly used to be some sort of noble, had grabbed the training sword by the blade. It wasn’t as sharp as a real blade would be, but it was enough to slice open the palm of his hand, the poor man nearly passing out at the sight. “Does Dáithí know?”

“Yes. He’s one of the ones who was looking into it.” Cullen sighs, looking at the reports with trepidation. He was going to have to do them eventually, might as well get them over with now. It wasn’t like he was going to be getting much sleep.

~~~~~

“Dáithí! Hello!” Felicity calls as she walks towards him. Several torches light the area, giving ample light to train by, and he hands her a staff without returning any sort of greeting. “Is your back okay?” His controlled mask falls for a moment, showing his disapproval, and she can only chuckle. “Fair point, I’m sure you’ve had worse. Thank you again for helping me.” With the staff in hand, they begin the dance all over again. This time, though, when he would land a hit, and she’d fall on her ass, he'd quietly give her pointers and instructions. It wasn’t what Cullen had done, walking her through step by step, just little suggestions to help her along to figure it out on her own. 

For the most part, Felicity remains serious, only breaking into smiles and giggles when she’d do something foolish or land ridiculously in the slush. After several more hours of training, Dáithí calls it a night, efficiently taking both their staffs and putting them away before starting to put out all the torches. 

“Have you taught many mages?”

“No.”

“Really?” He doesn’t answer her, not in the business of repeating himself. “Okay, fair. I figured you couldn’t be just another recruit. You’re not, right? Because if you are, I’m going to have to reconsider my entire life.”

“I am not.” Felicity nods, sitting in silence, Dáithí already having made it clear he didn’t need or want her help cleaning up when he’d shooed her away the last two times she’d tried to help.

“Where are you from?” Clearly, he wasn’t a talker, and unfortunately, Felicity was far too curious to let the conversation drop. 

“You do not need to know.”

“I mean, yeah, I guess not. What’s your favorite color?” Dáithí doesn’t even bother answering that question, rolling his eyes with his back to her. “Favorite animal?” Still no response. “Favorite food?” More silence. “Don’t say anything if you think I’m the best.” Felicity hurries the words, hoping to throw him off, but he turns around with that disapproving look again. 

“Training is done,” Dáithí says pointedly, arms crossing over his chest and looking somewhat intimidating.

“Didn’t fall for that one, probably for the best. Do you go out on missions with other scouts and soldiers? I don’t think I’ve seen you around.”

“Goodnight.” He turns, rolling his eyes again at the sound of her giggles behind him.

“Thank you Dáithí, have a good night!” She calls out to him as he walks away, continuing to laugh as she makes her way back to her own tent. 

If things kept going like today, maybe her life in Thedas wasn’t over after all. It may take time to break through her newest friend's impressive walls, but she was sure she’d get him to break down and smile someday. And with any luck, her training will keep her from her depression, Felicity more than ready to be done with the dark thoughts. Solas had seemed almost normal today when he’d met her after training, more books given to her about different types of magic. While she’d rather be learning from him directly, she supposed this was better than nothing. And so long as she had some of his books, she’d always have an excuse to search him out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here we are again. :) So, the first poem is by Shel Silverstein, I remember reading his books as a kid, he's got some good stuff, and some even funnier stuff so long as you're not looking for 100% serious poetry. The second bit is by T.S. Elliot, and it's just a section of a much large poem called The Waste Land. And lastly, the song- which from what I gather is based on another song- I just recently found thanks to my sister and I absolutely adore it! You can YouTube it, it's called If Only -Trista Shay Original version.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI-GC5BMF3U <\-- I don't know how to make this a clickable link- maybe you can just copy and paste? - but that's the version I was thinking of when writing. 
> 
> Thanks as always for reading and sticking around for updates!! :D


	6. Chapter 6

“You need to care less,” Dáithí says halfway through another training session, waiting for Felicity to once again stand before starting again.

“What’s that ever supposed to mean?”

“You are so worried about hurting me, you never put your full force behind your attacks.”

“You don’t either!”

“Because I could hurt you, the same can’t be said about you.” Dáithí is quick to knock her back to the ground. His voice as even and measured as it always was even after all the training they’d done.

“Hey, that’s uncalled for!” Felicity frowns up at him, irritated that he was probably right.

“If you train like this, this is how you will fight in a real battle, your body will not know anything else.” She rolls her eyes, once again standing, gaze fierce as she faces him down once more. The next round lasts a little longer, Felicity determined to show him that she could probably hurt him, even if it was more than likely an accident like the last time she’d landed a hit. “You’re still holding back.” Felicity grunts as his staff connects solidly with hers, pushing her feet back in the mud as she fights to remain upright. “You will never hit me like this.” That’s the last straw, Felicity, so desperately wanting to prove him wrong, she lets out a growl she didn’t even know she could make. Her magic lashes out with her next swing, the power urged on by the emotions growing ever stronger, and Dáithí finds himself blasted back by a wave of force when her staff connects with his. The tree he ends up slamming into shakes, snow falling from its branches, the trunk making a splintering, cracking sound.

Her blood runs cold, and for a single moment, Felicity found herself devoid of all emotions. Fear, regret, guilt soon fill that space, Felicity running up to where Dáithí is trying to stand again, a grimace on his face, his arms and legs shaking.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t- I shouldn’t have- it wasn’t on purpose, it just- Oh god…!” Tears stream down her cheeks, and try as she might to cast a healing spell, only flickers spark around her fingers, nothing strong enough to count as a true spell. Her fear and guilt agitate her magic within, making it harder to pull it into a spell, her regret, and sudden mistrust of her own power sealing the deal, keeping her from manifesting anything. “Fuck, I’ll- hold on I, I can- I can do this!” Her hands shake so badly, her whole body, in fact, it’s a wonder she can remain upright. 

“I’m fine-”

“Bull fucking shit! Just- fuck, fuck, fuck! Work, dammit!” Dáithí tries to stand on his own, stops leaning against the tree, puts on a brave face despite the pain, but he’s quickly falling back to have the tree support him. “I’m so sorry, Dáithí.” She sobs, her hands going back and forth between reaching for him and pulling away. He again tries to stand, gritting his teeth to work up the strength to speak without the pain showing in his voice, but to no avail. 

“Felicity, what happened?!” Solas’ worried voice suddenly sounds from behind her, and she quickly spins. “Felicity?” The concern in his voice when he sees Felicity so distraught even though she’s the cause of this whole mess only adds more guilt onto her shoulders.

“P-please, Solas, you have to heal him!” She grabs hold of the front of his shirt, Solas feeling how badly she’s trembling, but more than that, he can feel her magic struggling within her as all her emotions spin out of control. He looks past Felicity, seeing the man she’d been training with as of late leaning against the tree, clearly in pain and trying very hard not to show it. Solas steps past her, Felicity following him, now holding onto the back of his shirt and peeking around his shoulder to watch.

“This will take but a moment.” Solas’ quiet voice, laced with magic, makes both Dáithí and Felicity relax. Elvish falls from his lips, sounding more like music than an incantation, and soon pale green magic surrounds the injured man, seeping into him and setting everything right. Dáithí nods his head in thanks, again hiding the shock at the man’s magic well, whoever these two elves were, their magic was different than anything he’d ever witnessed. His eyes fall to Felicity, who is practically hiding behind Solas, sobbing as her whole body continues to shake. “Felicity, what happened?” Solas gently asks though he doesn’t turn around to look at her, giving her a moment to collect herself.

“I-I was- we were training- and I- I was h-holding ba-back. He said I shouldn’t- that I couldn’t hit him if I- if I did. I got irritated- but that’s no excuse! I didn’t mean to!”

“You did not mean to do what?”

“Do magic. It just- it just happened, like I shouted Unrelenting Force at him! I don’t know why, or how, I didn’t mean to!” She sobs, finally moving around Solas to look up at Dáithí. “I’m so, so, _so_ _sorry!_ ” Felicity is about to fall to her knees and beg for forgiveness, but he catches her shoulders, holding her up, not saying a word until she is looking up at him with tear-filled eyes.

“You did as I asked; do not apologize for it.” Felicity lets out a broken sob, her hands coming up to hide her face, Dáithí’s hands alone, making sure she didn’t fall over.

“I slammed you into a tree, I seriously hurt you! That- that’s not you asked me to do! I wasn’t supposed to fight with magic, that’s the- the whole point of this training…!”

“I was told to teach you how to fight, with or without magic. Bandits, demons, darkspawn, none of them will pull any punches, they will not give any thought to your survival. You will be fighting for your life, you have to use whatever is at your disposal to make sure _you_ walk away. It doesn’t matter what it is; dirty tricks or low blows or magic, you need to use every ounce of your being to fight.”

“Not against you.” She whimpers, but Dáithí grunts in disapproval, not unlike the disgusted noise Cassandra is known for. He lets go of one of her shoulders, using his now free hand to pull hers away from her face, leaning closer to make his point. There is a strange desperation in his eyes to get this point across, and she finds herself unable to look away.

 _“ Especially_ against me. Because if you can’t fight against me, you will never be able to fight against them.”

“He is right, Felicity. You must learn to truly defend yourself. Now that he knows what to expect from you, I doubt Ser Dáithí will be caught so unaware again.”

“I’m not going to consciously try and hurt my friends!” Felicity shouts, her magic lashing out with her emotions once more, though this time, the spell has her teleporting into the forest for some alone time. Dáithí stands there with a carefully blank expression, Solas sighing inwardly.

“Ser Dáithí, if you have a moment to talk?” Solas asks, voice perfectly polite if a bit tense. The man nods, gesturing for Solas to lead the way. They head to his cabin in silence, not a single word spoken until the door is shut as Solas wards spring back into place. “As I am sure you have noticed her magic is-”

“Incredible. And nothing from a Circle, not even the Dalish.”

“What do you know of the Dalish?” Solas asks curiously, momentarily going off-topic. Humans, in general at least, knew very little when it came to the nomadic clans of elves, and what they did know was usually absolutely wrong.

“I know enough.” Dáithí can’t keep the bitterness from his tone, his eyes momentarily igniting with a fierce hatred before his control sweeps all the emotions away. “Where did she learn? Tevinter?”

“No, in fact, before she came to the Inquisition, she had very little training. Her magic is… instinctual, relying heavily on her emotions as you saw. Such casting has not been seen in Thedas since the time of Arlathan.” Dáithí nods, having seen for himself just how different her magic was, what he was saying made as much sense as anything. 

“And yours?”

“I learned much of my magic on my own, away from Dalish clans and Circles. I learned from the Fade, from ages long past, I let spirits be my guide as I found a way of casting long forgotten by the waking world.”

“You are worried the Templars will take her.” Dáithí immediately says the very thing Solas has been dreading has been desperately trying to avoid since the moment Felicity woke up and discovered she was a mage. 

“Yes. Even before the Conclave, before Kirkwalls rebellion, mages situation has never been ideal. The Templars and the Chantry that holds their chains have been controlling magic and its development for ages now. They have been keeping mages from thinking and exploring for themselves, from discovering what magic was lost with Arlathan. And when the occasional mage breaks away, pushes past the fear and danger the Chantry threatens them with, reaches past the boundaries… they are killed, or worse, made Tranquil. Labeled too dangerous to live and breathe as free-thinking creatures. If they knew the wonders Felicity was capable of, they would silence her in a heartbeat.” A heavy silence hangs in the air as both men stare at each other, Solas taking a slow breath before continuing. 

There would be no going back from here.

“I understand that Commander Cullen asked you to train her, that you were friends or colleagues back in Kirkwall, and I understand if you must report back to him about the student he placed under your care. If you must tell him about her magic, so be it, but I-” Dáithí cuts him off with a sharp downward cut of his hand.

“Cullen would not make her Tranquil, not anymore, but the Chantry is another matter entirely. You are correct, they would kill her at the very least. Or, as is frankly more their style, they would torture, dissect and study her until her life wasted away.”

“They would never get the chance.” Solas snarls, his own magic flaring, though he manages to keep it under control. 

“No, they won’t. I am under no orders to report to Cullen regarding Felicity’s training. It was not given as an assignment by the Inquisition; it is a favor to a friend.” Ever so slightly, Solas relaxes, his magic settling, and he doesn’t miss the knowing gleam that flickers in the other man’s eyes.

“It… it is not like that.” Solas doesn’t sound the least bit confident in his words, wishing almost more than anything that it could be. But he had risked much to get here, and would undoubtedly risk more, he wouldn’t- _couldn’t_ \- let his feelings for one woman change any of it. Dáithí just grunts again, standing and heading for the door. Without another word between them, he leaves, heading straight to the forest when he feels the telltale wisps of Felicity’s magic still in the air.

Dáithí’s family, his father’s side of the family, had always had a knack at tracking down mages if they’d felt their magic before. Oftentimes the Chantry would take the male’s of the family by force as children and raise them to be an extension of the Templars, an elite unit of a sort. Dáithí was no exception, quite gifted at finding those he was looking for and had worked with Cullen at Meridith’s command many times to find ‘blood mage.’ Except, they were not always blood mages. Sometimes they were frightened couples trying to make a life for themselves, gentle souls who simply wanted to live a quiet life. Sometimes it was a child who wanted to go home, frightened after a few days, weeks, or years in the Circles. But every time Meridith had the Templars she sent out to kill the mages or drag them back to be made Tranquil if she was feeling generous.

Dáithí did what he could to protect them, the innocent ones, the frightened ones, but he was powerless when Meredith was in one of her moods, unwilling to see any reason. When things really got bad, and Cullen finally broke from her control, Dáithí had been there to support him, to try and bring order back. And thanks to Anders’ actions and the aftermath, to other prejudiced humans and their foolish superstition, Dáithí had lost all that tied him to Kirkwall, almost all that tied him to life. Only the thought that those who’d been taken from him wouldn’t want him to follow so quickly kept him from taking his life. Thankfully, Cullen and many others left to join the Inquisition when the plans started being laid by Divine Justinia. 

In the now dark forest surrounding Haven, he finds her sitting under one of the trees, her knees hugged to her chest, chin tucked down. The long curls obscured much of her, but it couldn’t hide the shaking of her shoulders as she continued to cry, and couldn’t block out the sound of her sniffles and gasps.

“I’m sorry.” She whispers, knowing it was Dáithí the moment he got close, catching a glimpse of moonlight glinting off the metal fittings on his armor.

“I know. But you shouldn’t be.” He pauses for a long moment, trying to figure out how to word what he was going to try to say. “Did you know I used to work with Templars? Was raised to help them fight Maleficarum?”

“You’re not a Templar, there is no Lyrium in you.”

“No, there isn’t. I never needed the aid of it to fight against mages. It has been many years since a mage managed to land their magic against me.”

“So, I’m worse than Maleficarum?!” Felicity’s head pops up, absolute terror on her rapidly paling face. 

“No, no, you are nowhere near gaining the title of maleficar. I was simply stating that I’ve fought against many powerful mages far more skilled in combat than you and never once have I been injured. I’m good at what I do, Felicity, and though you caught me off guard with your magic, I was fully expecting you to use it. I was just expecting fire or lightning, most mages when angered rely on the more volatile elements.”

“If you’re not a Templar if you’ve no Lyrium, how do you fight against mages? Against magic?” Dáithí takes the staff from his back, the wood, and metal well worn. Felicity is about to question him about it, thinking it was just another staff when her hand touches the surface and feels her magic recoiling from the contact. Still, she holds on, pulling it closer, squinting her eyes to study the surface by the light of the moon. Delicately carved runes and sigils and signs cover the entirety of the staff. If you weren’t looking for cavings, you wouldn’t be able to see them, so light and delicate they sat inlaid in the wood and metal. 

“My family was skilled at enchanting, though it took years to learn how, and just as long to complete a single work. My father made this for me, his father making his, and so on. It allows me to use my own will, much like how a Templar draws upon Lyrium to use their abilities. It allows me to deflect and cancel out magic before they can harm me or those I protect.”

“This is incredible!” Dáithí watches as suddenly her tears dry up, Felicity shifting to sit on her knees to better study the staff. He supposes he shouldn’t be surprised she yet holds it, though he is. The few times other mages held it, they quickly recoiled, their magic rejecting the power carved into the wood. The more she studies it, the more she feels it affecting her magic, the more curious and suspicious she gets. “...Why are you telling me all this? No doubt it is a secret from the Chantry? They would demand you and your family make these for all their Templars and warriors if they knew.”

“A secret for a secret,” Dáithí answers casually with a shrug. “Your magic- as strange and powerful as it is- is just as much a secret from the Chantry as my staff. They know my family was always skilled in tracking mages, skilled in fighting them, but never did they learn of our true talents.”

“Will you show me how it works?”

“You will have to fight me in earnest.” That immediately causes Felicity’s face to twist into a frown. “I cannot show you how I fight against magic without any.” 

“I mean, I understand, but I… I don’t want to hurt you, but I also don’t want to cause problems for you and Cullen and Acacia and the Inquisition. Cullen is already dealing with a lot on top of his work, Acacia checking-in frequently when she has better things to do. And if news gets out that the Inquisition was housing Maleficarum, it could ruin everything!”

“I am not suggesting we do this in the middle of the Chantry. Why do you think I ask you to train at night? Away from prying eyes?”

“I mean, I kind of just figured you were a private guy.” Felicity mumbles, looking down at the staff she still holds, slowly becoming accustomed to the odd sensation of having it near. They sit in silence after that, Dáithí waiting for Felicity to accept, Felicity, trying to weigh the pros and cons as quickly as possible. In the end, it comes down to the fact that she really did enjoy learning and training. “You promise you’ll stop me if I go too far? If I cast something too dangerous?” Dáithí nods once before standing again, holding out a hand for his staff.

“Tomorrow night we meet here, there’s a nearby clearing that we can use to train.” Without another word, Dáithí walks off, Felicity remaining where she sits, thinking for a little while longer about what he’d all said. She still didn’t feel comfortable blasting Dáithí with magic while fighting, but as much as she hated it, he was right. You have to practice how you want to perform because when the time comes, you’ll end up performing how you practiced. It’ll be muscle memory at that point, and the memory needs to be a serious attempt. 

Real-life Thedas was more dangerous than anything else she’s known, it’s time she adapted to it instead of just relying on Solas and the others.

With a sigh, she stands up, starting to shiver as she once again is able to focus on things outside of her agitated emotions. Felicity just needs to make a quick stop by Solas, to thank him for his help and apologize for her behavior. She needn’t go far, the mage already on his way to find her himself. When he sees her unharmed, no longer crying and shaking, he can’t deny the relief that momentarily overwhelmed him. Solas quickly clears his throat before closing the distance between them, carefully schooling his features.

“Thank you so much, Solas.”

“You are welcome. Did Dáithí talk to you?” She can’t help but notice the concern in his eyes, her heartwarming at the sight. Maybe, just maybe they could fix this.

“He did. We traded secrets, or, well, I guess he just gave me one of his because it would be hard to miss the secret of my magic after I blasted him into a tree.” She nervously runs a hand through her hair, a tense laugh filling the silence as she waits for Solas to react. He can’t deny the curiosity that he feels at the thought of Dáithí’s secret that could match her magic but knows better than to ask.

“That is good then. You will continue to train?”

“Yes, I will. And I will try to use my magic, but I’m… I don’t want to hurt him. He can fight Thedas’ mages, but my magic isn’t like theirs.”

“Would you feel more comfortable if you saw how capable he was beforehand?” 

“Yeah, but he can’t show me without magic so…” Felicity shrugs, but Solas just smiles calmly, moving his arms behind his back as he stands tall.

“I shall discuss it with him. You should get some rest.”

“You should, too, Solas. You shouldn’t pull all-nighters all the time.” Felicity doesn’t dare wait for a response before she is off and running towards her little tent. The moment she is out of her makeshift armor, she collapses onto her bedroll. After all the stress of the day, sleep finds her quickly, and though she enters the Fade, she remains blissfully unaware of her surroundings. 

~~~~~

Felicity spends the day filling another of her journals with everything she can remember from the Dragon Age games, every quest, every random fact, every possible outcome of the significant choices she could remember. Everything she could remember about side quests and personal quests, every random codex entry she could remember, and of course, badly drawn maps with the little things she could remember finding. As she realizes she never once sided with the mages in Inquisition, she starts to worry. But when she played through with Acacia, they’d gone for the Templars. Hopefully, this would hold true...

When at last, her hand hurts too much to write any more, she focuses her magic on obscuring the words. Everything turns into what looked like gibberish to everyone but her. She settles for mentally preparing herself for that night. There are countless spells she knows for combat, though how she’s going to incorporate them with her staff fighting, she’s not sure yet. Having a Fireball detonate between them was as bad an idea as she could think of 

Felicity feels Skyrim’s magic would probably be the easiest to cast while using her staff to attack, less technical than D&D spells or Harry Potter. Then again, the magic here is all about will power, the power bending, and echoing what you desire should your will be strong enough. She could probably just think about what she wanted to happen and go from there. But having things like D&D spells and Skyrim helped her imagine just what could be done. 

As night falls, she’s equal parts excited and dreading meeting Dáithí. By the time she wanders over to the edge of the forest, he is already standing there, Felicity surprised to see Solas standing there as well, dressed in his armor with his mages staff on his back.

“Hello…” She drawls, looking back and forth between Solas and Dáithí in confusion, waiting for one of them to speak. 

“To show you that you need not fear injuring him, I will be facing him first.”

“Oh! Is- is that okay, Dáithí?” He gives a short nod, and Felicity’s face breaks into a brilliant smile. "Thank you both so much!” In a heartbeat she has her arms wrapped around Solas, giving him a quick, warm hug that he doesn’t have time to return before she is throwing herself at Dáithí. He goes stiff as a board, not even daring to breathe as he tries to wrap his mind around the fact that he is being hugged. “Alright, so where are we going?” Dáithí, released from the hug, silently turns around and begins leading the way.

Felicity, now with anxiety gone, excitedly chatters about what she’s been thinking of when it comes to using her magic during combat. Casting it through the staff, using the crystal as a focus, hadn’t worked for her in the slightest. But if she could get her magic to flow around the staff, cling to it until she was ready to use it, that would be easier to use while actively fighting with the weapon. 

Dáithí leads them to a reasonably large clearing after working their way through a very narrow passage carved out of a section of the nearby mountain. He turns to face the pair with a serious expression. 

“We are far enough away that any magic shouldn’t be felt by the Templars, and any audible or visual effect should be blocked by the mountain walls.” Dáithí motions for Solas to step forward, standing at the ready with his staff. Solas, as calm and confident as Dáithí steps forward, Felicity taking several steps back to give them as much room as possible. 

For a long moment, both men stand at the ready, eyes locked on each other, looking for any sign of movement. Then, without any provocation that Felicity can see, both men rush each other, staffs at the ready. The crash when they meet is so much louder than Felicity expected, the woman jumping nearly from her skin at the crack, Solas’ magic and Dáithí’s runes colliding violently.

As they continue, paying no mind to Felicity as they put everything into the battle, Felicity finds herself in awe of both me. Never has she seen Solas fight like this, so up close and personal, usually he would do what other mages did in Thedas, standing in one place, for the most part, casting at a distance. But, for whatever reason, this style seemed so much more like… like Solas. This was him, and she can’t for the life of her figure out why that is. 

And Dáithí, he was something to behold as well, at least when her eyes could follow him. He was far faster now than any of the times she’d faced him, and he didn’t hold back in the slightest. Dáithí is relentless in his attacks, the staff and his will fending off the spells Solas could send his way. He didn’t show on his face the surprise at just what the mage was capable of, though he certainly felt it. Solas is equally amazed at Dáithí’s abilities to cancel magic without lyrium, though he too kept a stoic mask in place. 

Felicity knows she’s supposed to be paying attention to Dáithí, but she finds her eyes follow Solas. It’s… surprisingly hot to see him like this. It’s for the best that they don’t pay her any mind, it gives her some time to school her features and banish the crimson blush from her cheeks. 

They collide again, the force of Solas’ spell nullified by the runes and enchantment pushes them both away, though they catch themselves easily enough. Magic, in its rawest state, bursts from Solas’ back, arching back and around, diving towards Dáithí from all directions. He lets out a loud shout, the staff blurring around him it moves so fast. Each and every band of magic Solas had sent is blocked, and suddenly Solas is right in his face again, viciously striking out with the staff in an attempt to overwhelm the man. 

They remain evenly matched, much to both men’s surprise, and after several more minutes, they both step back, relaxing their stance. Their chests rise and fall as they try and catch their breath, Felicity remaining silent for only a moment before rushing forward and excitedly gushing about all she had just witnessed. About how incredible Solas’ magic was, how impressive Dáithí’s nullifications were, how insanely cool their fight had been to watch.

“Do you trust he can handle your magic now, Felicity?”

“Yes! Dáithí, that was so fucking cool!” Solas smiles indulgently as Felicity animatedly talks, her hands flying around as she tries to recreate what she’d seen. Then she was tugging on Solas’ arm, her wide, innocent eyes looking up at him in awe. His heart kicked in his chest, his hand itching to reach and grab her, hold her close, never let go. Felicity is too excited to notice his suddenly heated gaze, but Dáithí does, and again he gets that knowing gleam in his eyes.

“Come, we’ve got work to do.” With one last smile to Solas, Felicity follows Dáithí out into the middle of the clearing, nearly vibrating with excitement at finally- _finally!_ \- being able to use her magic to its fullest potential without having to worry about hurting anyone. 

~~~~~

Felicity trains until she collapses, having expended more magic than either man thought possible. Her mana regenerated at an astonishing rate, and that was still bouncing back, ready to go, but her physical body had finally reached its limit. Both men are silent as Solas gently picks her up, neither having the words after her impressive display.

Watching her cast had been an experience all on its own, the sheer amount of magic she could draw forth with just a tiny bit of mana was incredible. What she could then make that raw power into took Solas’ breath away. She wasn’t limited by Thedas’ ideas on magic, casting certain elements specific ways after training in Circles or even Dalish clans. Felicity was free to create whatever she wished for, and Solas hadn’t been disappointed. 

Animals like he’d never seen- large, small, and everything in between- spring from her hands and rush towards Dáithí. She threw lightning-like javelins, making fire burst and explode from wherever she wished with a flick of the wrist, blasting out freezing hair from her palms and pushing Dáithí back. She would take to the air as if she were born to it, darting around the sky above them and raining down destruction, putting the momentum of returning to the ground behind her staff to make fierce attacks that could push the warrior back. 

The ground and nature surrounding them would rise up to heed her call, the earth and rocks shifting to make it harder for Dáithí to stand and move, vines and roots tangling around his feet and legs in an attempt to stop his movements entirely. In a heartbeat, she binds her magic to her body, giving herself a boost in speed and strength, matching Dáithí for a while before the spell wears off. Words in a guttural language Solas had never heard are shouted, raw, and powerful magic following them, spilling from her lips. Waves of dragon’s fire followed walls of force, an entire cyclone created before their eyes and aimed for Dáithí.

Dáithí takes it all in stride, dispelling less of her magic than he had Solas’, wanting to see just what she could do. The scale of her magic is almost unbelievable. Other mages would have to expend all their mana and then some to even draw enough power through, only the strongest would then be able to shape that power into the things Felicity was creating on a whim. 

And now that she no longer was focusing on keeping her magic under control while she fought, she could use what she’d been taught in regards to her staff to its fullest potential. No longer is she careful with her attacks, holding back, she lets loose and becomes a somewhat unpredictable force to be reckoned with. 

One of the last things she’d done with her magic was changed forms entirely. Solas thought he might actually fall over in shock when suddenly in place of the small elven woman stands a dragon, though unlike those either men were used to seeing here. Her new form was massive, but when compared to the dragons they’d seen in Thedas, she seemed smaller, her body at least. Felicity was now long and sleek, where the dragons they were used to seeing were massive, hulking mountains of muscle and aggression. Her neck was longer, allowing her to tower over them, her tail curling and uncurling as she got used to this new body.

When she shifted, in her mind, she thought of Smaug, his longer, more serpentine body, as opposed to the giant beasts she knew lived scattered through Thedas. Though she made sure she had the proper number of legs to be considered a dragon and not a wyvern, almost nothing having irritated her brother more than when people got it wrong. Felicity snickers as she tests out her new arms and legs. 

Her scales were brilliantly white, eyes a piercing blue, and she moved with a grace neither man could understand, and certainly hadn’t expected. Better still was when she spread her wings over their heads, both of them looking up only to have their breath catch in their throats. The inside of her wings was a dark blue, almost black, and speckled across were little pinpricks of magic light, glittering like the night sky that would have been visible had it not been for the shifting clouds.

“This is so cool.” The voice that rumbled from the dragon’s mouth was Felicity’s, though lower and rougher, a hissing undertone behind every syllable. “You both look so small.” She laughs, the fight had stopped the moment she shifted, and leans down, so her head rests on the ground, allowing the men to walk closer. As Solas approaches, his magic sweeping out to study her new form, he’s shocked to see that her new form requires no extra magic to keep it going. She had expanded a great deal to assume the new body, but after that, she’s needing to give nothing more to stay a dragon. 

“Felicity, this- you-” Solas runs a hand along the scales of her cheek, the smooth texture pleasantly cool to the touch. 

“I don’t know if I can do this very often, my whole body feels drained now.” She rasps, the rest of her body relaxing against the ground.

“You might also be tired from running around,” Dáithí supplies as he takes a stand next to Solas, though he doesn’t reach out a hand. Felicity’s eyes fall shut, and in a shimmer of golden magic, she’s back to normal, fast asleep on the ground at their feet. 

Once she’s back in her tent tucked under the heavy blankets, Solas and Dáithí head to his cabin. The had much to discuss regarding Felicity’s magic.


	7. Chapter 7

Felicity wakes an hour later to the sound of whispering right outside her tent. Just as she is about to call out to them and tell them to shut up, she hears what they are saying.

“Look, no one is going to care if a few of these newbies go missing! We just grab a few of the elves, drag them Tevinter, and get paid. It’s easy! What are they gonna do, they are just a bunch of knife ears.” The sound of the tent canvas getting shifted next to hers, adrenaline pumping through her at the man’s following words. “Not a knife ear, but this one is easy on the eyes. Should grab her too, have some fun on the road. Hurry, check the next one.” Felicity closes her eyes, feigning sleep, all while focusing her magic and sending a message off to the first person that comes to mind, Dáithí.

 _‘I’m sorry for waking you up, but there are slavers here! By the tents! They’re gonna take people, and run, what do I do?!’_ The message does indeed wake Dáithí up, the man sitting up in a heartbeat, confused by her voice in his head, but somehow knowing it had to be her. He puts on a shirt, grabbing his staff before stumbling from his own tent, quickly waking Cullen, Rylen, as well as a few other guards all arming up to go figure just what was going on so late at night.

“Here’s another, now just like I showed you.” Felicity freezes when the voice’s whisper into her tent, a sudden prick on her shoulder has her turning to look, a small dart sticking out of her. She tries to shout, to squirm away, but she is unable to move, almost unable to draw breath. “Don’t you worry, little rabbit, we’re gonna take good care of you.” She is dragged out of her tent and through the snow, looking on in horror as she sees not just a few men, but a whole band of slavers. There are two small carts already half-filled with other elven recruits, all paralyzed in their sleep, though that doesn’t mean there aren’t guards standing near them to make sure everything went smoothly. They stay well within the shadows of the forest, several teams of men and women going back and forth, grabbing who they could. 

This surely wasn’t their first time doing this. 

She never heard back from Dáithí, but she desperately hoped that he’d gotten the message that he’d woken up. A few more elves later, and the carts begin to move, Felicity crying as no one comes to stop them. Magic is once again swirling around her, and though she doesn’t know if she can cast without using her hands, she has to try. Felicity pictures the bright red flare that they used in Harry Potter, though the name of the spell escaped her she couldn’t have said it anyways, so she hopes it won’t be a problem. With a high pitched whistle, the red light explodes from her chest, rising high into the air before exploding like a firework, all the slavers turning to look at her.

“Andraste’s tits, we grabbed a mage. Becker, silence the bitch, we need to go!” No longer worrying about stealth, they urge the horses faster, Felicity’s hope is short-lived as a large man hops into the cart she’s in, a white-blue light slamming from him into her. It takes her breath away, her stomach rolling violently in response, every nerve in her body screaming out in pain as the magic that had been quite happily at home within her is torn away. 

Then he does it again.

And again.

And again.

Felicity’s body is seizing up, her head pounding as she is silenced too many times for her to count. But even though the sound of the blood rushing past her ears is deafening, she can still hear the shouts as the Inquisition reaches the slavers, many of them having circled around to catch them if they tried fleeing like they had.

The fighting begins, though caught off guard, the slavers were not giving in without a fight. But they were little match for the well-trained soldiers Cullen had overseen, and soon they had only a few of the more dangerous slavers left, including the one that had been tormenting Felicity. 

From the forest came the rest of the slavers, Felicity assumed at least, praying there were more bands of slavers lurking in their woods. Even then, it was no match as Acacia and others of the Inner Circle joined in. The large man picked Felicity up by her neck, holding her high for everyone to see, ignoring the magic aimed at him and the bolts and arrows sticking out of his body. The last of the power he had from the lyrium within is drawn up, silencing Felicity one more time before falling dead. Whether it was because it was a more potent silence than the others, or because she’d already suffered so many, she didn’t know, but it sent her over the edge.

Everything blacks out as she is dropped, Felicity not conscious to feel her body painfully hitting the ground. The last of the slavers are dealt with, the Inquisition quickly taking the carts back to Haven, carrying the various elves they’d taken to the healers. But Dáithí, who’d made it to Felicity first, knew that no healer was going to be able to help her, his stomach rolling at the sight of the damage. He could see burns from where the man silenced and smited the poor woman far beyond what would have been needed to simply have her stop casting. 

“No, da’len, what have they done to you?” Solas falls to his knees beside the Dáithí, Cullen just steps behind him, both looking at Felicity’s body in horror. Tentatively Solas reaches out with his magic, nearly crying out when he feels the extent of the damage that man had done.

“The healers won’t be able to help with this, he went too far, she won’t-”

“She will live!” Solas snarls, cutting off Cullen’s pained words. Solas scoops her into his arms, rushing with Dáithí following at his heels towards the Chantry. The large stone building would be the only place he would be able to get some relative silence from the sound of Haven, now fully awake and recovering. Cullen moves to follow, stopped when he sees Acacia standing there with a dark look on her face.

“We stopped them.” He gently says to her, wanting more than anything to reach out and hold her close, but he knows that is far from appropriate. 

“This time, these ones. How many more haven’t been stopped? How many of my people have been sold off to Tevinter?!”

“I’m sorry-”

“You don’t need to apologize, Cullen, you haven’t done anything wrong! I’m just so angry right now!”

“I know. But we did stop these ones, and we will stop more. That counts for something.” She looks up at Cullen, anger vanishing leaving only a deep sadness. Acacia doesn’t look like the powerful Herald at this moment, just a sad, scared woman, tears filling her eyes and spilling over as she throws herself into his arms. “Oh Acacia, we’ll make this better, I swear we will.” Cullen gently wraps his arms around her, holding her close until she calms down once again.

“We should go with Solas, make sure Felicity is alright.”

“She won’t-”

“If anyone can save her, it’s him.” Cullen doesn’t say anything else, though he still doesn’t believe that she can be brought back from the edge, not after what that rogue Templar had done to her. When they reach the Chantry, they are greeted with the sights and sounds of a very angry Chancellor Roderick trying to bang on a door at the far end, a very irritated Dáithí standing between him and the wood.

“Commander! That heathen apostate just stormed in here and locked himself in the room! I can hear him casting foul magic in there, he must be removed at once!”

“No, he doesn’t. He’s trying to save Felicity-”

“He’s bringing the dead back to life! I will not stand for it! Not in the Chantry or anywhere else. Do your duties Templar-”

“I am not a Templar any longer!” Cullen shouts at Roderick, the man finally falling silent in the face of Cullen’s anger. “You cannot order me to do anything. And he is not to be bothered, he’s trying to save the life of the woman who alerted us to a band of slavers, intent on taking our people off to Tevinter.”

“We don’t need such heathens gathered here, better to let them-” Acacia gasps, shocked at the Chancellor’s blatant racism right in front of her, but he never gets to finish, Dáithí taking hold of his robes and slamming him into the wall.

“You will watch your foul tongue lest you want it removed from your vile head. They are not heathens, not animals, not property to be sold and used.” He snarls at the pompous Chantry man. Cullen moves to stand behind Dáithí, glaring at the Chancellor.

“You will show the elves the respect they deserve, Roderick, or you will be answering to me. Am I understood?” No longer is the Commander shouting, his voice deadly calm and low, and that scares the man even more.

With a flustered nod he is released, Roderick racing from the Chantry as fast as his legs can carry him. They haven’t heard the end of this, they are sure, but he will at least think twice before saying such garbage again. 

Acacia and Cullen walk into the room, Dáithí remaining outside to guard from anyone else entering. Both of them freeze when they see the elaborate runes and sigils on the floor under Felicity’s still unconscious form. She barely breathes now, her heart fluttering in an unsteady rhythm as she tries to remain alive, but with each moment it grows fainter. 

“What is this, Solas?” Acacia wanders closer, looking down in awe at the spell Solas is in the middle of casting.

“I saw it on one of my journeys in the Fade, an ancient technique to heal a body on the brink of death. Had I known I was going to need it, I would have spent more time studying.” He says this for their benefit, Solas having known the spell since the moment he started his rebellion, wanting to be able to help those he freed, knowing the Evanuris had a tendency to beat their slaves to the edge of death, if not far beyond it.

“You can read and understand the ancient elven language? This all makes sense to you?” Acacia motions to some of the portions of the glowing runes on the floor that are indeed in the old tongue. 

“Yes. Now please, I must focus.” The room falls silent as Solas hurriedly works to get everything in place. If he forgot even one letter, one sigil, Felicity would perish, he didn’t have the time to try again should he fail. _“Come back, da’len, please come back to me.”_ Solas whispers in elvish, and in an instant the runes glow bright as they are filled with his magic, more and more flowing from him into the spell. Cullen and Acacia are both shocked at the amount of magic he was not only pulling forth, but the amount of magic the spell was taking to finish. 

With a few more elven words, his voice louder and surer this time, the spell snaps to life, the magic exploding from the floor and into Felicity. Her body jerks in response, but that is all the reaction they get. Solas is about to start screaming, Cullen and Acacia on the verge of tears when, with a shrill screech, Felicity jerks upright. All other parties in the room are silent as she frantically looks around, panting and clutching her chest. 

“S-Solas?” Finally focusing, her eyes land on Solas plopped on the floor next to her looking absolutely drained. “Wh-wh-wha-” Words don’t form, her body shaking too much, her mind somehow racing and sluggish all at the same time. Solas, though, is not drained to the point of debilitation, and leans over to pull her into his arms.

“You are going to be the death of me, do you know that Felicity?” He mumbles, wanting to be frustrated that trouble seems to find her so easily, but he can feel nothing but sweet and utter relief that she yet lives. 

“O-others-!” She tries to stand, to move away, but neither her body nor Solas were going to let that happen.

“Everyone is safe, thanks to you, Felicity. If you hadn’t warned us, hadn’t sent out that flare, I don’t know if they would be.” Felicity smiles, trying again to form sentences, words, anything to convey her thanks, but all that comes out is a shaky sob. And then another, and another, Solas turning her face into her shoulder, letting her cry it all out. 

“I think this is enough excitement for one night.” Solas stands, effortlessly bringing Felicity up with him. “I would like to stay with her, make sure there are not any lingering effects from the silences or my spell.”

“Of course, I’ll check in with you guys in the morning. In the meantime, I think we need to talk with the other advisor’s, Cullen. This was too close.” He nods, giving a small smile to both elves before following Acacia to the war room, Josephine and Leliana already waiting there for them, Cassandra just entering the Chantry to join them. 

“I-I ca-can-can w-wa-walk.” Felicity sobs to him, Solas just holding her that much tighter.

“But you will not. It is no trouble carrying you, you still need some time to recover. Rest for now.”

“I’m s-so-sorry!” She wails into his shoulder, his heart aching at the broken sound. "I sa-said it before, but- but I mean it! Please, please, please don't make me go back to th-the tent! Don't leave me!" Felicity is nearly hysterical as she clings to him, Solas' heart shattering as he holds her that much tighter.

“Shh, rest, Felicity. I will not leave you, you will not go back there. We can speak tomorrow.” Felicity just shakes her head, hands tightening around the fabric she held, more shuddering sobs escaping before she can speak again.

“I-I li-liked it w-when you-you ca-called me li-li-little one…”

“Da’len, please, you need to rest. All will be alright, I swear to you.” Felicity falls asleep, sobbing in his arms just as he makes his way back to his small cabin. His eyes flash with magic, clearing the paper and books from the bed, Solas’ hadn’t been using it much these past weeks, too immersed in his research to bother. It was either research or berate himself for how he handled himself when he fought with Felicity, for the now strained relationship they had.

He hadn’t meant to come off as condescending; he honestly had been worried over her. She was so bright and happy, so open with her words and emotions, it was hard not to want to protect that little light when the world was crumbling into darkness all around them. She’d worked herself to the bone trying to learn magic and how to fight, trying to help them gather resources or help the random civilians she came across. Felicity would work through meals, forgetting to eat for an entire day and nearly collapsing at night when her body could take no more. Felicity wanted to help every single person they met, and in most cases she did at the expense of her own health. Solas had to give her credit, he was astounded by the sheer amount of goodness in one woman, and he wasn’t about to let that Fade away.

When he had to return to the studies on the Breach in earnest, he was a little glad for the space from Felicity. Felicity was slowly but surely turning him into someone he hadn’t been in many, many years. Someone he couldn’t afford to be right now, not with all the work he had to do for the Inquisition, and for his own cause. Solas would love nothing more than to set her free, see all that she could do to this world with her strange magic, but it wouldn’t- couldn’t- change the fact that he still had to tear down the Veil, that she would likely die in that mess of magic and demons that followed. He had enough guilt on his shoulders as is, he didn’t want the guilt of breaking her heart, of killing the one he could so easily come to love on his shoulders as well. 

They could be friends, but nothing more. 

Gently he tucked her under the covers, wiping away the last of her tears as he settled next to her. Solas is in the Fade within seconds of closing his eyes, quickly slipping over into her dreams. He watches from the edges as a memory is played before his eyes, Solas notices Felicity watching from the opposite side of her dream with watery eyes.

“Solas, can I borrow some of your paint?”

“I suppose. What are you going to do with it?” He narrowed his eyes, worried that their newest addition may have corrupted her into participating in her childish pranks. Sera and Solas hadn’t gotten along from the moment they met, to no one’s surprise, he just hoped that Felicity had managed to keep away from the chaotic elf.

“I just wanna paint a little. It’s been years since I last did.” Solas nods, digging in his pack for a moment before handing off several small jars and a few brushes. “Thanks!” She sits down near him, a small, relatively smooth plank of wood in hand and begins to paint. She remains entirely focused as she creates a lovely landscape, laughing at one point and calling herself Bob Ross. He did know why that was funny, but he had enjoyed the light sound of her giggles. She spent a solid hour painting away until she was pleased with the final result. Felicity turned to show Solas with a big smile, her delight only growing when Solas complimented her.

The Fade shifts in an instant, a very different memory taking form. Solas glares at her, Felicity just as mad as she glares back. They shout, though in the dream no words come. The only sound he hears is the sound of her crying at the edge, looking on in sorrow as they argue. 

“You ruined it all, just like you always do.” A voice hissed, the Fade suddenly dropping in temperature as a shadowy form appears behind Felicity. “It can never be repaired, fixed. It’s gone forever.” Boney hands reach from the dark robes surrounding the creature, clasping onto her shoulder, and then she is crying all the harder. 

“I didn’t mean it, not like that. I was just angry!”

“You did mean it, that’s why it hurts.”

“No, I didn’t mean it!” Felicity insisted, turning to look up at the creature behind her. She freezes when she sees the twisted face of a despair demon, icy claws digging into her shoulders. “Let go!”

“No!” It wails, trying again to get her crying, but now she is outraged.

“You don’t get to lie to me about my own feelings, dick, let go!” Felicity tries to push it away, put some distance between them, but it doesn’t release her. Solas is about to step in when suddenly a great pillar of golden white flames slams down from the sky and into the demon. It screams, letting go as it retreats, but it never gets the chance. In an instant it is reduced to ashes, the flames vanishing as Felicity angrily turns back to where the memory is still playing out. “I didn’t mean it…” She mumbled, sitting on the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs as tears well up again.

Solas sends out gentle wisps of magic to guide her to a more peaceful rest, devoid of dreams and demons, setting up wards in the Fade to keep it that way. The morning would be hard enough without any more encounters from demons to mess with her. Once he’s sure that she won’t be disturbed, he follows her into blissful unconsciousness. He’d used much of his magic on that spell, he almost hadn’t had enough.

That was another problem he needed to work on fixing, getting back to where he’d been nearly eight thousand years ago.

~~~~~

Felicity wakes up first, noticing first and foremost that she hurts. Everywhere. Not a single part of her doesn’t ache, and for a blissful moment, she doesn’t recall why she doesn’t remember the terror and agony from the slavers the night before. But then she does, and she can’t stop shaking. In her mind, she knows they are all dead, that they can’t get her or anyone else again, but that doesn’t help right now. Nor does it do anything to quell the anxious paranoia pounding through her veins.

The bed shaking ever so slightly draws Solas back to consciousness, the elf quickly shifting to sit next to Felicity on the mattress. She looked up at him, eyes wide with fear, and he quickly pulled her up and into his arms again.

“They will not touch you ever again, Felicity, never.”

“I-I know… I d-don’t kn-kno-know why I-I’m shaking…”

“Because you went through a traumatic experience that nearly cost you your life. This is a normal reaction, I can assure you.” She nods, or she tries to, but with all her shaking, it’s hard to tell if she actually did or not. “Da’len, I-”

“Sor-sorry, Solas.” She mumbled as she turned her head to press her face into his shoulder. “For sh-shouting. I d-didn’t mean i-it.”

“I know you did not, we were both upset and spoke without thinking. I too am sorry.” For a while, they sit in relative silence, both of them trying to ignore the sniffles coming from Felicity, knowing that if either of them brought attention to it, she would break down into all-out sobs. “Do you think you can eat something?”

“I want ice cream.” She mumbles against him, Solas’ brow furrowing, unsure of what that was. “I think I can make it, can I use magic?” Felicity looks up at him with large eyes, tears still held there through sheer willpower alone. Solas nods and she gives him a shaky smile. Without leaving his steady arms, Felicity turns to the side, focusing on creating food once again, but this time specifically thinking about Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream. When Solas gasps, her eyes pop open to see a large container of the very ice cream she wanted so desperately. “Do you have a spoon?” Solas just nods, reaching off to the side to dig in his pack for a moment, his eyes staying locked on what she had just created. 

The low moan Felicity lets out when she eats a mouthful of her ice cream makes Solas freeze, the sound dangerous because he knows he’s never, ever going to forget it. Still, she seems happy enough scooping the ice cream into her mouth at an almost alarming rate, so for the moment he’s content to let her eat, doing his best to tune out any further noises she makes.

“Try some!” She offers him a bite, Solas seeing the hope and excitement in her eyes to have him try something from her world that all he can do is open his mouth for her to feed him. He’s shocked when it’s cold and sweet, something chocolatey mixed in with the smooth vanilla. “Good, right?” There is no denying that it is indeed good, Solas nodded and wondered about how her people made this when she offered him another bite.

“No, you should eat it, it is yours-”

“I’ll share, come on!” A small flicker of the light that is usually dancing in her eyes is back, Solas wanting to shout in victory when he sees it, but instead, he just opens his mouth again. Between the two of them, they finish the whole tub in little time. A knock on the door has them both jumping, Solas carefully moving Felicity back onto the bed as he rises to answer the door. A very worried looking Acacia stands on the other side with Varric right behind her.

“How’s our Firecracker doing?”

“Well. Would you care to come in?” They both nod, and Solas opens the door wider to let them pass, shutting it behind them lest all the warm air leaves the cozy cabin. To Felicity’s dismay, Solas sits in the chair at his desk and not next to her, Acacia instantly fills the spot, taking her hands and holding them tight.

“Are you truly alright?”

“I- I will be.” Acacia drops Felicity’s hands, instead holding her face as she leans in close, her eyes intense as she speaks.

“You were brilliant! You saved everyone!!”

“That little flare trick was pretty slick.” Varric chimes in, smiling at her with a nod before continuing. “Going to have to remember that for my next book.” Just like he expected, her face lights up.

“Really?!”

“Yeah, beats someone just firing one off with a bow. And that way, when people ask where the idea came from, I can tell them all about how you foiled an entire elf trafficking attempt and slaver ring with one simple spell.”

“It wasn’t really me that stopped them, though, you all did the hard work.”

“Nonsense, you definitely had the hard part in all of that mess last night.” Varric insists, Acacia, nodding along as well.

“Well, thanks. L-let’s just not do it again any time soon, yeah?”

“Yes, I think we all can agree on that.” Solas pipes up, everyone else nodding along as well. 

“You should have seen Solas saving you, Felicity, it was amazing! He used ancient magic, so old it used the actual elven language in it! And it was so powerful!” Acacia continues to rant and rave about the wonders of what Solas had done, and in the back of her mind, Felicity felt like she forgot something. It wasn’t the first time she’d had this feeling in regards to Solas, every now and again it would pop back up, and every time she was left with that questioning feeling left unanswered. Solas had never been the main focus of her playthroughs, her go-to mage had always been Dorian.

Felicity was sure she’d remember eventually, no sense worrying about it now.

For a time, Felicity listens as the three quietly converse, occasionally chirping out a yes or no to a question, but for the most part, they let her rest. Eventually, she slumps over, falling fast asleep to the Solas’ soothing voice as he tells of what he’d seen in the Fade. 

“I wasn’t sure she’d be able to bounce back.” Varric mumbles, looking down at where she is soundly sleeping, thanking the Maker she was alright. “This world’s lost enough goodness these last few years.”

“Indeed. What news is there of Redcliffe? Are we going to meet with the mages? At least they are willing to discuss helping with the Breach.” Acacia looks at Solas with a nod, when the Templar’s had not only assaulted the Chantry mother but then abandoned their vows, she’d been mad enough she could have spit tacks.

“In a few days. Do you think Felicity would like to come? We weren’t able to get into Redcliffe village the last time we were close, she seemed a little put out.”

“I will ask her later, but she enjoyed our travels, I do not see why she would not agree to tag along.”

“She’s an odd one, our Firecracker. On the one hand, she’s so naive about the world, so clueless about what should be common sense, but sometimes she seems to know too much, her insight a little too on the nose.” The room falls silent as they all watch her sleep, all of them knowing precisely what Varric meant. She would say something, off-handed comments usually, on things she shouldn’t- couldn’t- know. Or how she could dance around a painful subject for them, though she couldn’t have known about it, the event so far in their past, well-kept secrets shared with only a select few.

“I’ve stopped making bets with her, she always wins!” Acacia laughs; though it dies the more she thinks about it. Felicity had been right about nearly every guess on directions, or what would be where, or who would do what. Now that Acacia is really thinking about it, it’s a little unsettling. 

“Are there mounts ready?” Solas asks, trying to get away from the topic of Felicity. He alone knew she was from another world, but now he was questioning if she somehow knew of this world as both Acacia and Varric bring up valid points. 

“Yes, Master Dennet and his finest mounts have made it, along with a few more exotic choices that the Inquisition has stumbled upon. Come on, let’s go pick out some to take with us! I’m so glad we no longer have to walk everywhere!” She sings as she steps out into Haven, drawing the gaze of a few soldiers on patrol, all of them smiling indulgently. They’d long since gotten accustomed to The Heralds loud nature.

Solas joins them after writing a quick note for Felicity should she wake while they are out. He’s curious to see what Acacia deems as exotic mounts, but regardless, he too is happy for the horses. Solas doesn’t mind the walking, he actually enjoys the slow pace, it gives him time to examine his surroundings, looking for little secrets the land might be hiding. But this way, Solas will no longer have to listen to everyone else complain about the journey. As they reach the stables, he idly starts to wonder if Felicity knows how to ride. He’d seen what her people used for transportation, none of it remotely like a horse.

He supposes they will find out soon enough.


	8. Chapter 8

Felicity wakes up in total silence, her body still aching as she stretches. Something crunches when she rolls over, Felicity quickly rolling back and prying her eyes open to see. A bit of paper is laid there, Solas’ flowing handwriting looking much too elegant to be on such scrap.

_Felicity,_

_The Herald, Master Tethras, and I are going to the stables to look at mounts. Drink the potion when you wake up._

_Solas_

Short and to the point, just like Solas is in person. After a glance around, she finds a small potion sitting on the table, another scrap of paper propped up against it.

_This one._

Felicity snorts out a little laugh, slowly getting up from the bed and walking over. The little scrap of paper falls when she picks up the small bottle, showing her that he wrote something on the back as well.

_Do not laugh, da’len, you know as well as I that you’ve drunk the wrong potion before._

She can practically hear his dry tone, and it sends Felicity into a fit of giggles, almost spitting out the mouthful of the potion she’d started to drink. It’s funnier because he’s not wrong. One time she was halfway through a potion meant to help mend broken bones when Solas had ripped it out of her hands and told her to spit out what she could. Taking the potion without broken bones leads to the ingredients of the potion to start to bind the joints together. In her defense, the healing potion was very similar in size and shape, though it was red where this one was more of an orange. Felicity had just thought maybe they were trying something new. 

Once the potion is down, she looks at her clothes in dismay. They were dirty, tears ruining the back of the fabric from when she was dragged. And she didn’t have anything here to wear out and about, or even something she could wear just to make it to her tent to change. She warily eyes the chest at the far end of the room. She knows he keeps much of his clothes in it, surely borrowing a sweater wouldn’t be the end of the world. After all, what else was she to do? Walking out in tatters was only going to cause a scene. 

Felicity is halfway through pulling one of his shirts over her head when the door opens. She yelps, yanking the sweater down the rest of the way as she spins, Solas standing there looking shocked with a tray of food in his hands.

“...What are you doing?”

“I was going to go back to my tent so I could change, but my shirt was ruined! I- I was only going to borrow the sweater for a moment, I swear!” Felicity's face is bright red, all the way from the tips of her ears down her neck. “See?! Look! I couldn’t have gone out in this!” She picks up what remained of her sleep shirt, turning it so Solas could see the almost shredded back.

Solas scrambles for something to say, anything at this point. Still, he’s too busy to form a sentence, scrambling to shove the thought of how much he liked her dressed in his shirt back into the recesses of his mind. So they stand there, Solas still frozen, Felicity growing more embarrassed with each passing moment.

“Okay, fine, I’ll take it off! Sorry!” Her hands grab the edges, lifting it, Solas' eyes- much to his dismay- immediately flickering down to see what she hides under all her loose tops. Smooth pale skin interrupted only by what looked like a tattoo starting a little below her belly button and curving up off to the side, following the slope of her hip bone. The branches of a tree, with delicate red and pink flowers in full bloom, are painted against her skin, so lifelike Solas has trouble believing they aren’t real. Higher and higher the shirt goes until he finally snaps back.

“You can keep it.” Solas blurts out, and when she freezes, he breathes a sigh of relief while the voice in the back of his mind shouts at him for stopping her. Then the words that left his lips reach his mind, and Solas has to stop from hitting himself in the face. Not hours ago, he’d convinced himself they could be friends but nothing more. Now he’s giving her his clothes to wear! Something that he likes seeing on her far too much and not at all in a platonic way! His grip on the tray tightens as his eyes drop back down to her tattoo, fingers itching to reach out as brush against it, to glide over her smooth skin, to feel her tremble underneath him- _Stop!_ He shouts in his mind, only barely keeping himself from saying it out loud. Solas forces his body to turn to the side, his eyes to looking away from where Felicity is still frozen. “Are you hungry? I thought you should probably eat something more substantial than sweets.”

“Are you sure? You have nice sweaters; I don’t wanna steal them all.”

“Well, if you were going to steal all of them, I might have something to say, but that is only one sweater.” He wants to bang his head against the wall. That was his chance to take it back, and he let it go! “I brought some stew and some fresh bread.”

To his relief, she pulls the sweater back down, shuffling closer to the table and sitting down, her face downcast as it is still quite warm. Solas pauses before joining her, trying to work out which option would be worse. To sit next to her, be close to her, to feel her warmth in the air, his hands still aching to touch her. Or sitting across from her, seeing her in his clothes with pink dusted cheeks and bashful eyes. After another heartbeat of deliberation, he settles in the chair next to her, needing no more fodder for his imagination to run wild with. 

They eat in heavy silence, both unsure and unable to say anything to give them a short reprieve. Seconds seem like hours as they eat, but it is Felicity who cracks first.

“Did you find a good horse?” She squeaks, not daring to look at him, knowing she would be blushing once again. He nods, not that she sees, and her heart grows heavy in the ensuing silence. She's annoyed him again, pushed him too far after just fixing what she’d broken, now he’s angry again!

“There are several fine horses they had for us to choose from, as well as some Harts and a few other… exotic choices.”

“Giant nugs?! Dracolisks?!” Their previous conversation and embarrassment are forgotten as she excitedly turns to him, eyes huge as she waits for an answer.

“...Yes, how did you know? Many of them were brought in this morning for us to look at.” His eyes narrow when the excitement in her eyes is doused, replaced instead with panic as she tries to come up with a lie. “Da’len?”

“W-would you believe magic...?”

“From anyone but you, it seems. What is it you are hiding?”

“It-I’m- there’s nothing to hide! I’m an open book!!” Felicity’s voice is far too high and tight to be anywhere near believable. When his mouth thins into a line, she knows he’s not going to let this go. “I just… alright, fine! But I’m not telling you now. Later, tonight in the Fade, I’ll show you then, okay?”

“It is a date.” He says, remembering her saying something similar a while back. Felicity’s face lights up, eyes going wide before landing back on the table. “You said that earlier to me when I said you should show me more of your world. You reacted this way as well back then. What is so terrible about calling something a date? Is it not accurate?”

“Well, you see, on Earth, we use the term ‘date’ like that when- when- it’s like when people are courting, a date is when they sp-spend time together doing something, getting to know each other and w-whatnot.” Felicity doesn’t look at Solas as she slouches further and further into her chair, she doesn’t notice that while her face is certainly on fire, so is Solas’. She is internally screaming, wishing the ground would swallow her whole before this could get any worse. 

“I see.” Is all Solas can manage, thoughts running away with the idea of courting Felicity, and everything that came with that. Dangerous thoughts, to be sure, given his determination to be nothing but friends with the woman who preoccupied so many of his thoughts as is. 

The heavy silence returns, Felicity only growing more embarrassed when she notices that he didn’t correct himself, that didn’t change his words calling it a date. It had been years since she had to deal with this particular type of anxiety, not having the time nor the will power to date back when she’d been on Earth. After her messy breakup with her own he-who-shall-not-be-named, she’d decided against relationships for the foreseeable future. 

With a cautious glance, Felicity peeks out of the corner of her eyes at Solas, who remains lost in thought. Though she does catch the tail end of the blush on his cheeks. 

“A-anyways, you guys going somewhere on these mounts?” Her voice is too loud, Felicity wincing when Solas startles, his gaze falling once again on her.

“Redcliffe Village to meet with the mages. They are at least willing to talk with us.” Here again, is another thing she wishes she’d have done differently. In her playthroughs, she’d always gone to get the Templar’s, to appease Cullen and also because she felt so bad for them. When the choice came up every game, she just pictured Cullen getting corrupted with the red lyrium, and that would never stand, so to the Templar’s she went. Felicity had assumed Acacia would as well, in the game she’d played with her as the Herald she had at least. But then, they’d never gone to Redcliffe in that game, didn’t go to meet Dorian. Now Felicity was getting nervous.

If there was one thing she’d learned in the almost three months she’d been here, it was that there were indeed similarities between this Thedas and the one from the game. But this Thedas was much- _much!_ \- more dangerous. And in this Thedas, there were no autosaves to fall back on should something terrible happen. This life was real now, this was her reality, and the reality of a great many people she’d come to care for.

“Can I come with?” Felicity is pretty sure that this is just the first meeting, nothing drastic should be taking place, maybe this will jog her memory about something that happens with the mage route should it come to that.

“Yes, you may. Acacia had asked earlier, I hadsaid that you would most likely wish to come along, but I would ask anyways. When you are feeling up to it, we can go look for a mount for you today as well.”

“For me? Really?”

“Did you think we would all ride while you walked?”

“I don’t know, I guess. I’ve never ridden before…”

“I thought as much. Well, let us hope you pick up riding as fast as you did magic.”

“Yeah, here’s to hoping.”

~~~~~

Felicity most definitely does **_not_ **take to riding as she had magic. While she is good around the various mounts, all over them adoring the attention she so willingly showers them with, as soon as she is in the saddle, everything goes wrong. Buckles come undone, she slides off, the mounts get spooked, anything and everything that could have gone wrong during her lessons has. Sera and Varric in particular found it hilarious, The Iron Bull also found it entertaining, but he at least would help her. When Felicity had gone flying through where the recruits were training, falling off halfway through the mess, Cullen had quickly gone after the horse while others helped Felicity to her feet.

“How are you this bad?!” Sera falls over laughing, clutching her sides as the sound of her titters is echoed by several others.

“Shut up, Sera!” Felicity shouts as she shakily gets back on her feet. “You’re shit at baking, so there!”

“How’d you know that?!” Her laughter is gone in an instant, now skeptical eyes boring a hole in the back of Felicity’s skull.

“I saw it in the Fade! The spirits say it’s crap!”

“Ugh, creepy magic, elfy elf!” Felicity rolls her eyes at Sera’s muttering turning around to stick her tongue out at the archer, pleased at the momentary look of shock on her face.

“You know she is going to get you back for that, da’len.” Solas handed her another healing potion, Felicity taking it gratefully as he looked her over for any more wounds. “Pray that it is not lizards in your bed roll.”

“I like lizards, they’re cute.”

“Cute, maybe, but comfy most certainly not.” She giggles at the disgruntled look on his face at the memory of all those lizards. “Perhaps **I** will put lizards in your bed roll, see how you like it. Maybe then you will not laugh at my expense.”

“It was funny, you made a funny face! How is that my fault? I was simply reacting!” Solas is about to retaliate against her continued laughter, though the sound was music to his ears, when the shouts of a scout interrupted them. The man nearly collapses when he gets close, Cullen leaving his recruits to investigate just what has this scout in such a hurry.

“A-a caravan of refugees and pilgrims… mages and demons attacking… that way…” Then the poor man does collapse, and it’s then that they see several arrows in his back. Cullen is immediately barking out orders, Acacia, Bull and Blackwall the first to reach them. In a flurry of activity The Herald and most of her inner circle are off and running, several soldiers joining as well. Cullen carries the dead scout into Haven, once handing him off running to tell the other advisors. Felicity is left standing in the nearly empty stables, worried even though she knows a few mages and demons are nothing compared to those in the Heralds inner circle.

Even though she tells herself that she’s nothing to worry over, even when she thinks of all the times that they’ve faced worse, the anxiety still bubbles up and swirls around her chest, keeping her preoccupied. Half an hour passes, then an hour, then two with still no word, and Felicity rises to pace. The sun is setting, it would be dark in no time, and she prayed they were not still fighting.

“You should get something to eat, there’s no sense in staying out in the cold waiting.”

“Thank you, but I’d rather wait.” Felicity doesn’t even look at Master Dennet when she talks to him, eyes locked on the edge of the forest where everyone had disappeared down. With a sigh, the older man just nods, getting back to his duties taking care of the stables. Just as she is contemplating sending out a message to Solas and the others, several horses come racing out of the woods. Blackwall is at the front, and Felicity is confused as to why until she sees it’s not just Blackwall on the horse. He’s holding someone, and as he gets closer, Felicity’s blood runs cold.

A familiar bald elf is just barely held on the horse, all together too still with way too much blood on the outside of his body. Felicity goes running, sprinting towards the horse galloping, uncaring of the danger. Just short of hitting the running elven woman, Blackwall stops the horse, laying Solas on the ground in front of her, praying that she knows a spell because the Warden knows he hasn’t much longer. 

“Solas! No, no, not you! H-Hold I… I…!” She’s hyperventilating, tears streaming down her cheeks as she surveys the damage. It looked like someone used him like a pin cushion, so many stab and cut wounds littered his body.

“It was mages and demons, but there was an assassin among them. I’m so sorry, Felicity, he… he got between me and the blade. He saved me. We’d run out of potions already, all we could do is run. I don’t know any healing magic. I’m so sorry.” When the rest catch up, all looking down at Solas with somber expressions, Acacia full on sobbing out apologies to them both.

“I can heal you, I will, just hold on.” Felicity whispers, straddling his waist, putting her hands on his chest like she was going to start some kind of chest compressions. Instead, she closes her eyes, frantically trying to think of healing magic, of restoration. First thing that comes to mind is Skyrim. Beams of golden magic surrounded by a light mist, warm as it wrapped around her dragonborns fingers, the sound of tiny bells that always seemed to accompany that school of magic. Her eyes are squeezed so tightly shut she doesn’t notice it when that same light, that same magic starts to flow from her hands, but the others do.

Cullen, having heard of their approach, races out from the gate with Leliana and Josephine fast on his heels. They all stop when they get closer to where the group is all standing around a body. Slowly they inch closer, unable to see who they’d lost in the dark, but eventually identify their resident Fade expert on the ground. 

Before they could even begin to feel sorrow, though, golden light spills from Felicity’s hands and into his chest, all of them shocked by the strange magic. It doesn’t stop with him, either, the magic then absorbed into the ground, lighting up the whole area before spreading out. As it reaches other injured members of the inner circle, wisps of the magic rise from the ground, healing them in an instant. And while everyone is floored by the spell, it’s Acacia, Cullen, and Cassandra that are the most shocked. They can feel the amount of magic Felicity is sending forth, never once waning as the spell continues. 

The golden light is now reaching the Advisors, wisps coming up and wiping away Cullen’s various body aches and migraine, healing the many paper cuts Josephine had gotten today sending out letter to Orlesian nobility, even taking care of the bruises Leliana had gotten during her last sparring match with Charter. Still the light grew in size, and it’s not until Felicity feels long fingers wiping away the tears on her cheeks that she stops, eyes popping open only to swell with more tears when she sees Solas’ eyes open as well.

“That is enough, da’len.” Solas’ soft whisper breaks the spell of silence keeping her from even breathing, and soon she is sobbing, falling forward to cry into his chest. He’d been awake almost since the moment the magic started, her spell working faster than he thought possible, and much more thoroughly that he expected. The dull aches and pains that had followed him when he woke up after nearly eight thousand years of sleep were gone, he felt better than he had even back then! And while his magic still wasn’t up to where it had been, her spell had restored the connection it had with his body, his powers now flowing through his blood and body like they had in ages long past.

“You’re not allowed to scare me like that, you stupid egg!” She wails into his bloodstained shirt, everyone around them letting out a startled laugh, still too amazed by what they’d just witnessed to really have any other reactions.

“Well, now we are even so there is no need for further close calls.” Solas wraps his arms around her, one tangling in her curls, the other making soothing circles up and down her back and shoulders.

While amazement is clear on everyone’s faces, only Leliana looks suspicious, eyes narrowed at the pair. She has been around magic for a long time, knows much about what they can and can’t do, and what she just did fell firmly under the category of can't. As did that ancient spell Solas had done to bring Felicity back from the brink. These two were different, and she didn’t know how they managed such feats of magic, or why they were truly here, but she would.

“Th-that’s not f-f-funny, you’re not a-al-alowed to die!”

“It was not meant to be funny, I was being serious. Shh, no more tears, Felicity, everything is alright now.”

“I can c-cry if I w-want to!” 

“Your heart is too soft for this world, da’len.” He mumbled into her hair so only she could hear the words over her sniffles and sobs.

“It-it is not, I’m p-perfect in this world.”

“I certainly enjoy having you here, so I suppose I should not complain over much.”

“Sweet talker…” A blush rushes up, though she doubts anyone would be able to tell with already red, tear stained cheeks. Solas chuckles underneath her with a little snort at the end, arms tightening a bit as he is still riding the waves of her magic, uncaring of all the eyes watching them. Instead he stares up at the sky, at the stars peeking through the clouds, memorizing the feel of her so close to him.

“No one has accused me of that in a long time.” For a long breath they are silent, both of them collecting their thoughts before Solas sits them up.

“You are truly alright? Nothing hurts?”

“You cured ailments I did not even know I was suffering from, Felicity. I am better than alright, truly.”

“I’m going to have to give your sweater back, this one is in ruins.” As they stand, both look down at the mangled remains of his shirt.

“I think if we got the blood out, it would be fine. Gives me a devil may care look.”

“Ha! Devil may care, not quite. More like an actual hobo.” They joke back and forth, dusting each other off. Varric just shakes his head as he helps Acacia stand again.

“It’s like they are in their own little world.” He rolls his eyes to her, Acacia smiling at his words and nodding.

“It always is. They are adorable, I’m just waiting for them to notice.”

“Sorry for the trouble.” Solas bows his head to them all, Blackwall in particular, the large man still stained with his blood. 

“No, thank you for saving me. Just maybe don’t do that again, at least not with your body acting the part of my shield.” Acacia gives him a quick hug before turning back to her horse and leading it to the stables. Everyone follows suit, the Advisors quick to surround Acacia and ask for a report on what had happened. No one knows quite how to bring up the topic of Felicity’s magic, so they don’t. She stays glued to Solas’ side, eyes still searching for any sign of pain or discomfort as they walk and talk. 

There is nothing wrong with him though, so she’ll be hard pressed to find it. He feels better than he has in so long, almost giddy at the new feeling. When they reach his cabin, Solas quickly sets to work on some proper runes, when they are completed, it’ll be his gift to her as a thank you.

“Why don’t you go get some dinner? I need a few more moments here.” Felicity silently nods, unsure what he’s working so feverishly on, but seeing no harm in letting him continue. Bull and his Chargers are already making a mess of the tavern, all of them shouting a greeting to her when she walked in. They try and get her to join in their victory celebration, but she politely declines. But as she walks to Flissa, she thinks that some alcohol would certainly be nice. Not a lot, just a nice buzz maybe, and after getting their food, she gets a variety of bottles to try. 

“Da’len, come in! I have something for you!” Solas smiles at her, and though she follows him without a word, it’s strange seeing him this excited about something not Fade related. They get into the small cabin, Solas throwing his arms wide as if to show her something, but nothing is different about the room.

“What am I supposed to be seeing?” Felicity’s quiet whisper is quickly followed by a low chuckle, Solas spinning around, smile still in place as he grabs her shoulders.

“I have set up wards and barriers, a sight more permanent than what I had before. You will be able to cast magic in here with no one out there the wiser. Even the best trained Templars would be unable to sense anything amiss!”

“Seriously?! That’s the best!” Felicity sets the tray and bottles down before flying into Solas’ arms with a happy squeal. “How did you manage this?”

“When you healed me, you helped my magic better bond with my body. Casting is much easier now, I am able to do more while using less which means I can do things like this.” Solas steps back, misty magic surrounding him for an instant before he is suddenly a large black wolf.

“Oh my god, that’s amazing! Let me try!” Felicity claps excitedly, thinking back to her many druid characters and the various shapes they would take. Many times it would be something that could fly, as no one else in her party usually could and she loved the idea of being able to soar, but she imagines a giant eagle in this little cabin would cause a mess, especially with the large wolf. So instead, she shifts into a similar wolf, though her’s is gray and white. 

When she next opens her eyes, she’s lower than before, near the same eye level as Solas is, and if a wolf could smile, they both would be beaming. Felicity hops around happily, finding it easier to move in this form than she’d expected. Honestly, she pictured herself walking around like a dog with booties on, all legs not exactly cooperating. 

Solas watches her excitement with fond eyes, Felicity behaving more like a rambunctious puppy- bouncing around bumping into things, tongue hanging out, tail actually wagging back and forth- than the fearsome predator she embodied. The desire to run, to fly through the forests in this form is overwhelming, and though he knows better, he nudges Felicity to get her attention, to have her follow him. A wisp of magic opens the window in the back, just barely big enough for them both to squeeze through. They land in a heap in the back of the cabin, scrambling to get into the dense forest just behind them before someone spots them.

Solas is faster than her, leading the way through the trees before gracefully leaping over the side of the wall surrounding the main part of Haven. Felicity felt doubt welling up within her, that she really couldn’t make that jump, but still she goes, trusting her new body.

She’s not disappointed.

It’s almost like she is flying, and for a brief moment she wonders if she should have picked an eagle instead. But then she is landing in the snow, Solas right next to her, nuzzling the side of her face to get her attention again, to make sure she’s okay. This is nothing new for him, but for her everything about this is new. That she was willing to try, not afraid of the possibilities, was nearly as thrilling as being in this form again. 

Felicity turns to look at him, Solas pleased to see the same excitement and wonder in the soft hazel depths, more pleased that her eyes remained the same color they are when she is in her normal body. She nudges his own muzzle before turning to jump around in the snow piles. A low rumble comes from Solas, once again motioning for her to follow. Soon they are back to racing through the woods, getting farther and farther from Haven with each breath.

When Felicity suddenly comes to a halt, Solas feels his stomach drop to his feet, something had to be wrong-

His thoughts also come crashing to a halt when he loops back to see her staring up at the moons, both visible in the sky, not a cloud in sight. Felicity sits there, utterly entranced with just how beautiful this world was, lost in the stars above as Solas sits next to her. For a moment both stare up, then Felicity gets an idea in her head, something she has always wanted to do, well, at least since the moment she became a wolf. Felicity lifts her head, closing her eyes, and lets out a howl at the moons. 

It needed work, but just the fact that she was a wolf howling at the moon sent her into a fit of giggles, or at least the wolf equivalent. Solas does the same low rumble, drawing her attention back from her celebrating, and nods his head to have her try again. This time, when she lifts her head back, Solas nudges under her chin for her to go back just a little further, before joining her. Both take a deep breath before howling to their heart's content, almost musical in their harmony. 

When they are through, Solas has them running again, though this time he stays nearer to Felicity, peeking at her from the corner of his eye. This was a bad idea, he was getting too carefree, too careless, he would only want more. But damn it all if this didn’t all feel right. She accepted anything and everything he threw her way, his magic, his obsession with spirits and the Fade in a world that tried it’s best to ignore them. She listened to all his stories with the same amount of interest as she had the first, always asking questions, always wanting to learn. She was genuine, she cared- many times too much- about everyone, she’d pick flowers or pass out neat looking stones she stumbled across, giving them away freely to them because she thought they looked down, or stressed, or just in need of a little bit of happiness. 

They couldn’t be more than friends, but Solas was entirely sure that he couldn’t keep it from growing into more.

By the time they get back towards Haven, Felicity isn’t sure she wants to change back. Solas goes first, looking down and laughing when Felicity looks up at him with her best impression of puppy dog eyes. 

“Come on, da’len, we can go out again sometime, I promise, but for tonight we must return. I have got to talk with the Advisors about those mages still.” She pouts for a few more moments before closing her eyes to focus on returning back to normal.

“We had better, this was amazing.” There is not even a trace of irritation in her voice, eyes alight with joy and excitement still. “I can’t believe I really howled at the moon! That was so cool! And I’ve never moved so fast in my life! Oh Solas, this was so wonderful!!”

“It was. Go, eat dinner, I will be back shortly.” It was for the best that he needed to talk with Cullen and Leliana about the attack, he needed a little space from Felicity or he was going to be breaking his vow to remain friends tonight. He wanted almost nothing more than to feel her lips and body against his. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some darker stuff in the middle of this chapter, but nothing graphic...

Felicity eats her now cold food with an ever-present smile still glued to her face. He promised to take her again, Felicity knowing better than to do it by herself. Not only was she bound to run into trouble, but she would get lost in a heartbeat in the unfamiliar terrain surrounding Haven. With the small meal out of the way, she turns to the three bottles she’d gotten. There was a bottle of some kind of ale she thinks, another of red wine, and something that smelled like whiskey. It wouldn’t take much of any to get her buzzed; it never had back home, so she set about trying the three bottles. 

The ale was the worst by far, Felicity nearly gagging up the contents the moment she swallowed them. The whiskey actually reminded her of Fireball back home, the drink hitting her just as hard in the chest. Of all of them, she liked the wine the best, as it tasted the least like alcohol. Though that made it too easy for her to drink, forgetting that she wanted to stop.

The sudden urge to dance comes up, Felicity standing, the bottle of wine in hand, eyes closed, and does just that. The music in her mind is soon loudly filling the room. Loud guitar and bass, a beat strong enough she could feel it in her chest, and vocals that she could belt along to as she danced around the small cabin.

That’s how Solas finds her, curious as to what she was doing until he stepped past his barriers and was bombarded with her world’s music. With a half-empty bottle of wine in hand, there’s no need to wonder what brought this on, little Felicity well and truly intoxicated. 

“Fight so dirty, but your love’s so sweet! Talk so pretty, but your hearts got teeth! Late-night devil put your hands on me! And never, never, never ever let go! Some days you’re the best thing in my life, sometimes when I look at you, I see my wife! Then you turn into somebody I don’t know, and you push me away, push me away, yeah!” 

Felicity sings loudly, better than Solas thought she could given her currently very inebriated state, though her dance is anything but graceful. The music suddenly changes, Felicity, letting out a happy wordless shout as she took another swig. Before she can get into the swing of the next song, she opens her eyes to see Solas there staring at her. 

“Solas! Why aren’t you dancing?!”

“Just what have you gotten into while I was away?” Solas takes the bottle from her, giving it a small taste, his eyes going wide. It was a good wine even, how she managed to get her hands on this, he’s not sure, but he’s not going to complain. 

“Nothing! Just chilling!” She sings back to him as she continues to bounce and bob to the beat. When she reaches for the bottle and he keeps it just out of her reach, Felicity opens her eyes to pout. “You gotta share…” 

“You have had half the bottle already, I do believe the rest is mine.”

“I didn’t have half! Only a couple sips!”

“A couple of glasses, perhaps. Any more, and you might just pass out.”

“Pft, I’m no lightweight!” Her face scrunches up adorably as she points a finger at him, or at least where she thinks he is as she is about a foot too far off to the right. “I’d like to see you do better!”

“Why are you shouting, da’len? I can assure you my hearing is just fine.”

“I’m not shouting!” Felicity shouts, giggling when Solas puts the bottle down and takes her face in both his hands, squishing her cheeks as he raises a brow. “Hello, Solas.” Her eyes are warm when they open to look at him suddenly so close, Felicity letting out a happy little sigh. 

“Hello, Felicity.” Solas can’t help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth in reaction to the joy in her face. 

“What does your name mean?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your name, what does it mean? My name is Felicity Maria Pennel. Felicity means happiness, Maria means sea of sorrow or rebellion. What does Solas mean?”

“...Pride.”

“Do you have a middle name?”

“I do not know what-”

“Mine is Maria, what’s yours? Or do elves not have middle names? What about last names?”

“I am just Solas.”

“No fancy titles?”

“Where would an elven apostate get any titles from?” Solas laughs along with Felicity as she nods, though his mind keeps bringing Fen’Harel to the surface. His name, his title, The Dread Wolf, the monster Dalish clans still warn their children about. 

“I like you, Solas,” Felicity mumbles as she leans forward against him, the music fading from the air to leave them in comfortable silence. “I hope I’m not too much of a burden. I try to help out as best I can.”

“You could never be a burden, da’len, only a joy.”

“You say the nicest things…” Solas wraps his arms around her when he hears her start to sniffle. 

“Why are you crying?” His voice is so soft, begging for her to tell him so he can make it right. She leans back to look at him, Solas gently wiping the tears from her skin, his heart aching when they are quickly replaced.

“I don’t know, I just am. I cry a lot, don’t I…”

“That is just part of your charm.” Felicity snorts out a watery laugh, quickly burying her face in his chest again as more tears well up.

“There is nothing charming about snot and tears.” She draws a shaky breath, wanting to speak, but unsure of what. With a long sigh, she lets go of everything, putting it all out for Solas to see. “I like your bald head and your blue-gray eyes, and how tall you are. I like your voice a whole lot, and you always tell the best stories. I like your patience and curiosity, the need to know. I like how you look after me and call me da’len. I like how you teach me new things all the time, each one better than the last.” The words just fall from her lips, though that makes them no less true. On and on she goes, listing everything she adores about him, Solas completely shocked as the seconds and minutes drag on. With each passing word, she gets more and more tired, the very long day finally catching up with her leaving her exhausted as she leans against him, Solas supporting her entirely by the end. “I really do love you, Solas…” She mumbles on a sigh, finally dozing off.

For a long moment, Solas doesn’t move, doesn’t even breathe.

It had already gone too far.

He carries her to the bed, gently tucking her in, making sure that she was on her side, so if she vomited in the night, she would not drown in her own sick. Once he’s convinced she is peacefully at rest, he plops into a chair, taking a long drink of the wine. He goes over her words in his mind, playing them on repeat, hearing her say ‘I really do love you’ again and again and again. Each time his heart skips, stomach doing happy little flips even as his mind is doom and gloom. 

As he finishes what remained of the bottle, he watches her, studying her as if by looking hard and long enough, he could unravel the many mysteries still surrounding her. It would take her a while to enter the Fade tonight, thanks to the alcohol, so he was in no rush to dive in himself, content for the moment just to take her in. 

She ends up rolling over onto her stomach, legs spread out and tangled in the blankets, arms wrapped around his pillow as she starts to softly snore. An elegant sleeper she’s not, but she is adorable. The back and forth begins again, reasons why he needs to stay away piling up but going ignored for the most part at the reasons he adores her. By the time Solas is ready, he is still unsure where he truly stands on the subject of his relationship with Felicity. He slouches down a little, eyes sliding shut as he enters the Fade, finding her dreams with ease.

They still had much to discuss about her uncanny knowledge of their world.

~~~~~

When Solas enters the dream, he finds himself standing next to a plain pool, Felicity in the center floating on an obnoxiously bright pink… thing. No one else is around, the sound of far off music barely there in the air. It was comfortably warm out, nothing like Haven and Solas changed his attire with a thought. Once he’s in loose trousers rolled up past his knees, he sits at the edge, dipping his feet in. 

“Are there many places like this on Earth?”

“Yeah, I guess. Though usually, they are much busier.” Her voice is slow and lazy, nearly all the words slurred together. Solas then knows that she’s not going to be able to shape anything in the Fade to her will with any sort of clarity. His answers were going to have to wait. “You coming in too?”

“Maybe for a little while.” The cool water beacons him in, Solas slipping down until most of his body is submerged. He swims in peaceful silence, enjoying the simple exercise. Just when he’s about to create a floating bubble-like Felicity had, the Fade shifts. Felicity, no longer conscious in the Fade, just watching her dreams like most every other person in Thedas, is swept away. Gone is the pool and the clear blue sky, instead they are in a dark alley, the buildings around them taller than he thought possible. Even Arlathan hadn’t the need or desire to have buildings so large!

Her dream counterpart is currently shoved against the wall, a man roughly holding her there while attempting to kiss her. That alone sets Solas on edge, but when he sees her hands trying to push him back, tapping his shoulder to get his attention, and the man doesn’t respond, Solas starts to seeth. 

“What is it?!” He barks as he pulls back, Felicity gasping for breath, fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

“What’s wrong? Why are you so angry? Did something happen, Charlie?” Even though she is frightened, he can see the worry in her eyes, hear it in her voice. This man hurts her, and still, she worries about his well being. 

“Doesn’t matter, just shut up.”

“I… I haven’t done anything! Don’t talk to me like that-”

“Shut up, we both know you’re a whore just like your mother.” The man covers her mouth, his other hand pulling at her clothes, but this time when Felicity starts to fight back, she means it. No longer is it fear driving her, it’s anger. Anger and pain and shame.

“Let me go!” She screams, finally shoving his face away from her. “Charles Forsythe, you let me go right this instant!”

“Or what? You’re going to cry?”

“I’ll do worse than that, you asshole! I should have listened when Percy said you were trouble, he was right! You’re nothing but a lying, cheating bastard!”

“Like he has room to talk! Your brother was a fag, he’s better off dead!” With a screech, Felicity pummels the man’s face and chest, wanting to claw his eyes out, and getting close until he gets his hand around her throat. Charlie slams her back against the wall until she is on the verge of unconsciousness. “You shoulda listened to me, just spread your legs like a good whore. Now we do this my way.” 

His grip tightens, Felicity fighting his grasp to breathe, but with one more slam of her head into the bricks, everything fades away. For a few moments, the Fade is dark, nothing swirling around the depths until flickers of her memories continue. A homeless man had stumbled upon the pair as Charlie beat Felicity into unconsciousness, near death. The cops were not far behind.

After she woke in the hospital, all alone, it had been a dark couple months. Nothing seemed right; nothing she used to love seemed to make her happy anymore. She visited the graves of her mother and brother often, talking for hours to them. On and on it goes, Felicity barely living, just going through the motions of life. Therapy had helped, and when she finally opened up to it, it did more than just help, it saved her.

Solas looks over to where Felicity sits watching her dream play out, a few tear streaks on her cheeks, but instead of sadness in her eyes, he sees just acceptance. And while she may have worked through the trauma of the sexual assault and nearly dying, gotten to a point where it doesn’t impact her daily life, Solas knows that if he ever gets his hands on that Charlie, there would be no acceptance or mercy from him. 

He’s thankful when the Fade shifts again, this time playing happier memories for her to watch. Memories of two children racing around outside playing tag, of a little boy and girl helping their mother frost cookies, of Felicity shyly bowing on a stage after a piano recital, a young man cheering the loudest from the front row. As quietly as he can manage still as angry as he is, Solas slips out of her dreams, wandering the Fade to try and work out the rage still burning in him.

~~~~~

Solas wakes up to Felicity groaning as she comes to, a terrible hangover already making her miserable despite having only opened her eyes. With another groan, she rolls onto her back, glaring up at the ceiling as if it were to blame.

“Not feeling well?”

“No, not overly so. What happened?”

“What do you remember?” Solas counters, waiting to see if she remembers what she’d confessed to him last night. If he’s being honest, he’s not sure what he’s hoping for, for her to remember and them to do something about it, or for her to forget so, they could keep with the pretense of just friends. 

That’s a lie, he knows damn well which one he hopes for, but he also knows which one needs to be true. Sadly, they weren’t the same.

“Nothing after Mambo Number 5. What happened?”

“I found you quite deep in your cups, you were busy singing and dancing when I got here. We discussed names, and then you slept. Nothing too out of the ordinary, I suppose. What is a Mambo Number 5?”

“A song that I used to listen to as a kid when I went to the roller rink.”

“Roller rink?”

“A place with smooth, open floors that people roller skate on. Roller skating is when people put small wheels on their shoes and then roll around. It’s fun.”

“Your people have the strangest pastimes.”

“Hey, at least we have pastimes. You guys got jack shit here in Thedas.”

“Fair.” He gracefully stands, digging around in his chest at the foot of the bed for a moment before handing her a small, almost brown potion.

“Does it taste better than it looks?” She asks skeptically as she sloshes the contents around, the liquid almost too thick to be called that. 

“Doubtful. Bottoms up, da’len.” Felicity gives Solas a baleful look but obeys, trying to down the potion like a shot, but it’s too thick to knockback. The minute it touches her tongue, she nearly lost it, only keeping herself from vomiting up her empty through sheer will power because every muscle in her body wanted the viscous potion out of her body. “I’m impressed, even The Iron Bull can’t do that without complaining.”

“I’m complaining on the inside where it counts.” She coughs, handing the now empty bottle to Solas. “Besides, I did this to myself, no sense in complaining about someone trying to help.”

“No sense, true, but that often does not stop people.” He pats her back as she continues the fight to keep it down. “Just another way you are exceptional.”

“Well, aren’t you a sweet talker today.” Solas chuckles when her cheeks start to color. “Any big plans for today? No other assassins to deal with, I hope?”

“None on the schedule, no. Do you have anything planned?”

“I plan on seeing just what I can do with my magic. Would you care to join me?”

“Is that a serious question?” When she giggles and shakes her head, his smile grows. “We should probably eat-”

“I can make us something! Just hold on.” Felicity jumps up from the bed, the potion working wonders, and stands in front of the table, hands out, eyes shut as she focuses. When the smell of food fills the air, she opens her eyes with a victorious grin. Filling the table is a breakfast fit for a king. Pancakes and waffles are stacked up, scrambled and sunny side up eggs on a plate with bacon and sausage, another dish is filled with hashbrowns and breakfast potatoes. There is toast with butter or jam on yet another plate, and a bowl of fresh berries with cool whip on top. The big cups of orange juice sit by either plate, along with a steaming cup of hot chocolate for each. “Tada! A good ole fashion earth breakfast!” 

“This is what you would eat every morning?” Solas stares at the feast with wide eyes, immediately wondering how she didn’t weigh six times as much as she did.

“No, not even close. This is pretty fancy. Usually, I would just have toast or a bagel, something small. But for holidays or birthdays, this is what my mom would make for my brother and me. Come on, dig in!” He follows suit when she happily plops into a seat and starts loading up her plate. 

“You have siblings?” Solas tries to act nonchalant, casually throwing the question out as he takes a large bite of a pancake.

“Yeah, well, one… Percy died a while back. God, ten years ago already. He’d be twenty-eight now, Percy was two years older than me, my big brother, the best big brother... He would have loved it here! He was always such a nerd.” Felicity smiles wistfully at her plate, her appetite fading away as memories come rushing up. “You know, we used to go to conventions dressed up as elves, from Lord of the Rings, or our D&D characters, or just slap on some ears for fun. That I am an elf now would make him so jealous.”

“You _wanted_ to be an elf?”

“Yeah, me and a ton of other people. They are seen as superior to humans where I’m from, in nearly every way: looks, magic, intelligence, grace. Dragon Age was one of the few that I know of where they are seen as less than humans.”

“Dragon Age?” Felicity snaps out of it, looking up at Solas in shock. “You said Dragon Age was the only one you knew of that looked down to elves. What is Dragon Age beyond the current age we are in?”

“D-did I say that?”

“You were too drunk to show me in the Fade last night, but can I assume that it has something to do with Thedas? How you seem to know things you should not while being oblivious to that which is common sense?”

“We- I- I forgot I was going to do that. It was a busy day yesterday…”

“That it was, and that was not an answer.”

“You’re either gonna think I’m crazy or get mad at me. Maybe both.” Felicity slouches in her chair, poking her waffle with a worried frown, not daring to meet his gaze because she knows she’ll spill the beans just like that.

“Do you think so little of me?”

“It’s not like that, and you know it! It’s not like I’m telling you I broke a vase or ruined one of your books. This is big, _really big_ , and I… I can’t lose you.”

“It is not just me that has noticed, Varric and the Herald have as well. So has The Iron Bull I would wager, and our Spymaster if she is any good at her job.”

“Can we eat first? Then you can make me fall asleep, and I’ll show you because, to be honest, I’m not sure I can explain it in a way you will understand.” Solas feels a twinge of guilt as he studies Felicity, her shoulders slumped, eyes downcast, worry creasing her forehead. 

“Of course, da’len, I did not expect you to drop everything to tell me.” Solas softens his tone, trying to beacon her to look at him, to see that he is not on a warpath to gain knowledge. But still she doesn’t look, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth to the point where he’s worried she may actually break the skin. When he reaches out to her, fingers skimming over her cheek to draw her attention, and she flinches away, his heart sinks. Felicity’s eyes leap- finally- to his, fear and worry and pain swirling in their warm depths. Solas gently runs his thumb across her bottom lip, her teeth immediately relinquishing it to his soothing touch. “I swear to you, all will be well. There is nothing you could tell me that would drive me away.”

“You can’t know that Solas, I wish I could believe you, I so desperately want to, but I can’t. You know, I’m actually not that hungry anymore, why don’t we just get this over with.” She looks so depressed, his little light in this dark world, that Solas is close to telling her it doesn’t matter, that she doesn’t need to tell him. But she does, even if it hurts them. 

“I am sorry-”

“Don’t apologize, Solas, you’ve nothing to be sorry for. Maybe I should have told you from the start, I don’t know. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide it forever, but still, I hoped. Come on, let’s do this.” Solas just nods, and once she is laying on the bed, eyes shut as she continued to frown, he taps her forehead with two fingers, his magic seeing her to the Fade in a heartbeat.

When he joins her, he sees that she has already begun to shape the Fade. They are in a room, small and rather dark, Felicity sitting in a chair, the glowing box in front of her the only real source of light. In the light, he sees a picture of the Temple of Sacred Ashes, before it got blown to smithereens, neat lines of what appear to be mages and Templars marching towards it.

“On Earth, we have things called video games, we play them on technology called computers. You can do just about anything on them, but I used mine for games. They are kind of like… plays? Where you watch a story unfold, but unlike plays, you get to control the story, or a character. Make decisions, walk them around, pick up crafting materials or loot, fight with them. There are many different types, not all of them like plays. Some you build cities, or farm, or explore alien terrain. Dragon Age is a popular series of games, I put it right up there with Skyrim and Assassin’s Creed.”

“This Dragon Age is part of Thedas? More than just the term for this age?”

“Yeah, I mean, it _is_ Thedas. There are three games, three stories to play through. The first is as a Warden, the Hero of Ferelden, and their adventures. Then there is the second, where you play as the Champion of Kirkwall. And the last so far, where you play as the Herald.”

“Explain ‘play.’”

“I can show you.” She mumbled, sitting forward, on hand resting on the mouse, the other on the keyboard as she loads an old save. Solas steps close, creating a seat for himself to sit in as he watches the box. For a few moments the screen is dark as the game loads, before suddenly Haven- or something very similar- is on the screen, a person who looked very much like Acacia standing there in the middle of the screen. “This one was my favorite game, I liked being the Herald and bringing the world back from the brink. Acacia was the first Herald I ever made. When you start the game, you can pick all sorts of things for who they are. Race, gender, a class for fighting, even down to exactly what they look like.”

“And you played as Acacia?”

“Yeah, among others. See watch, I can make her jump, run in circles, pick elf root, talk to Leliana, walk into a wall.” Solas watches with wide eyes as the Acacia in the box does just that. “This game started just after the Temple exploded when the Herald wakes up to Cassandra questioning them. Then you go with her to help seal the Breach, to the Hinterlands, and Orlais and… beyond.”

“We are all in this?”

“Yeah, I mean you and the rest of the gang. I’m not too sure about the random NPC’s, I’m sure there is some overlap between them and the people living and working in Haven. You… you always stand by the cabin, looking lost in thought. Here, I’ll show you.” Solas doesn’t know what to think, much less feel about what he is seeing. Not only does she know about Thedas, but she has written the story, woven the fabric of their world. She essentially played god, many people from her world did, like a game! A pastime! He gasps audibly when sure enough, there he stands staring at the Breach lost in thought. 

“How can I help you?” His voice comes from the box, Felicity slouching in her chair as he stares at the screen. She clicks a random dialogue option.

“You knew me this whole time?”

“No, well, yes, of you. I… I never spent much time in dialogue with your character. I was more of a race around doing everything as quickly as possible, more interested in exploring and doing quests than doing a lot of talking. At least… at least with you and most of the Inner Circle. You can, ugh, this is so embarrassing.” Felicity buries her face in her hands, mumbling to herself before looking back up at the screen and sighing. “You can romance different characters, you can in all the games. I always did Alistair and the Warden, Hawke and Fenris… the Herald with Cullen. A lot of my games were getting to those points, to see him not suffering, to see him and my Herald happy.”

“How far does it go into the future?” Solas starts to worry in earnest. If she played the history of Thedas, then she could very likely know who he really is.

“I don’t know, time is different in here and in actual Thedas. I’ve been here for months now, but in a playthrough, it may only have taken someone a few hours if they were rushing, more if they took their time and explored all the different places, did all the side quests. This game goes until… until they stop the person who created the Breach, defeat the big bad. There were some DLC’s that came out that I never really got around to beyond a couple hours exploring into them. One about the Frostback Basin, one for the Deep Roads, and one that took place a few years after the fact…” Felicity trails off, once again alarm bells ringing, and she knows she’s forgetting something important, but can’t quite put her finger on it. “But life came back with a vengeance, and I didn’t have as much time to play as I had.”

“You know who that is? The person who created the Breach?”

“Um, I mean, yes? Assuming it truly is the same as the game. It’s not all the same as it was here. Haven is bigger, the Hinterlands is bigger, Orlais is _much_ bigger. And everything is much… deadlier in the real Thedas.”

“So you know what happens in Redcliffe? Do the mages help?”

“Well, that’s the other thing. In the game, we make choices, big, plot changing choices. One of those is who you side with to help close the Breach, the mages, or the Templars. I… I always picked the Templar’s. I felt bad for the mages, but each time I thought of Cullen corrupted by-”

“By what?”

“I… I can’t tell you. But every time I thought of it, I couldn’t _not_ pick the Templars. So I… I don’t know what happens with the mages.” Solas remains silent, staring at himself in her game. “I want to tell you all what will happen, how to stop it, but if I do, then the whole future could change, and not for the better.” She babbles on about how afraid she’s been of giving something away, of changing something and someone dying when they shouldn’t have. All the while, Solas remains silent, trying to process everything, but finding it hard to come to terms with how much she truly knew about them, the future, the past. “Say something, Solas.” She whispers, peeking up at him nervously through her lashes, her face once again downcast. He opens his mouth, but no sounds follow. “Please...” 

Felicity is tempted to show him everything, to let him make the decision on if everyone else gets to know as well. It’s his world, after all, he should be the one making big choices, not some uneducated outsider. The silence drags on, and she moves the cursor to the load button, to let him see it all, but then he speaks.

“Did you ever romance me?” Solas looks to her, a small smile quirking up the corners of his mouth. He wasn’t sure he could believe it all just yet, but he’d promised her that he wouldn’t push her away, cast her out, and he was going to keep that promise if nothing else.

“No, Cullen’s silly noodlehead always got in the way.” Felicity laughs, but tears are skating down her cheeks, her whole body trembling.

“I suppose the Commander does have an awkward sort of charm. The Herald certainly fell quick.” Try as she might to laugh, all that came out was a shuddering gasp as she just barely manages not to sob. “You truly lived as the Hero of Ferelden and the Champion of Kirkwall? That is fascinating. It is not unlike what I do in the Fade, watching memories. Your’s is simply more in-depth.”

“Y-you’re no-not mad?”

“No. Just… shocked. It is unsettling, if I am being honest, to know that you have walked Thedas- or a version of it at least- as so many of its most influential figures in recent years. That so many from your world have.”

“It’s a good story, they all are.” They sit in silence again, Felicity exiting to the main menu again. “And it’s got outstanding music.” Every time the cut scene where they all sing with Mother Giselle after In Your Heart Shall Burn plays, Felicity still gets goosebumps. “What do I do, Solas? I could tell you, them, everyone, but I… I don’t know if they would believe me, first of all, and I truly do not want something worse happening because I meddled.”

“I think you were correct to keep it to yourself. If it all turns out okay in the end, then we have nothing to worry about. We have followed the same course thus far, I assume?”

“More or less. I don’t know what’s going to happen in Redcliffe, not really, and that scares me. In my playthrough with Acacia, I never even knew I could talk to the mages before the main quest, I just went straight to the Templars because they were already ready.”

“Maybe being there will help you remember something.”

“I hope so.”

“What did you know of me, from the game? Before you met me.”

“Elven apostate, liked the Fade and spirits, grew up in a village to the north, did _not_ like the Dalish. At all. Not even a little.”

“That is it?”

“Yeah, when I got here, I wished I had spent more time getting to know you and Cassandra and Varric. I knew Varric from when I played Hawke, but he’s different with the Inquisition. I guess I’m a little glad I didn’t know too much, I don’t have to worry about giving too much away when I talk to you, at least for you and Cassandra. Harder with Varric, near impossible with Cullen. He’s going through a lot, and I know it’ll be a while before he’s better. I feel bad for him and Acacia, they are not finished yet by far.”

“Do you care for him as well?” Solas hates that he asked, but hearing that she always romanced him in her games has jealousy gnawing at his heart.

“As a friend, yes. But not in the way Acacia is so in love with him. I… um, I-I find myself quite taken with someone else.” He lets out a soft hum in response, pleased with her answer, heart-swelling as he watched her eyes flicker to him and then skitter away, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade pink. Solas was growing tired of denying himself, denying them both what they so clearly wanted, he was unsure how much longer he could hold out.

“Felicity.” Solas waits until she looks at him, getting trapped in his intense gaze. “Thank you.” He grins at her, something she is quick to do right back at him. “Can you show me how you make your Heralds?”

For a long while, she shows him the different races that they could pick, how silly she could make them look, and she shows him the first cut scene, seeing no harm in him seeing creepy spiders and the brightly glowing spirit. She shows him the Hinterlands, and explains the concept of a save file and just how many times she’d had to use one when a bear would kill her party, her fear of traveling there now making a little more sense to him. 

Once she has exhausted what she can show him without giving anything away, she loads up the other two games on her dream computer; Solas amazed at what he sees. On more than one occasion, he likens this to what he finds in the Fade, and that makes her feel better about this whole situation. If worse comes to worst, she can just say she saw it in the Fade and hope everyone believes her. They believe Solas.

When they finally have had their fill of that, Felicity gets to try and explain what computers are and how they work. Solas is left with more questions than answers by the end. She shows him all the other technology they have on Earth, cell phones, TV’s, virtual reality, YouTube, everything she can. Halfway through an explanation of Facebook, Solas holds up his hand to stop her, pausing for a moment to focus on his body. 

“It is time we wake, da’len, someone is here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Felicity sings is Teeth by 5 Seconds of Summer. Super catchy, at least to me, though I do like it sped up just a little bit. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone reading my story, I'm glad you all like it so far!


	10. Chapter 10

Solas is gone from the Fade before Felicity can ask who it is or how he knows someone is there. It takes her a little while longer to wake up, giving Solas time to stand up and make himself slightly more presentable. He’s thankful he set wards, while he trusts the Inquisition is doing good work, not all within these walls appreciate his presence here. He’s been threatened on more than one occasion by racist mage-hating humans, even other elves, and while nothing had come from those threats, he didn’t like being so deeply in the Fade unprotected.

“I know you are awake.” Leliana’s accented voice, only slightly muffled by the door, instantly makes Solas tense. He’d done well, thus far, keeping her off his trail, and that of his agents, but she was nearly as good at her job as he was. 

“I am, yes, Felicity is in the process of waking and not presentable as of yet. I am afraid you will have to wait a moment more.” He can hear his displeasure through the door at her having to continue to wait on them. Solas’ eyes flash with magic, clearing the table from their half-eaten morning meal. Once Felicity is up and standing, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Solas opens the door, Leliana quick to step into the room. Right on her heels are two well-armored Templar’s, both mages stomachs sinking at the sight. 

Solas is next to Felicity in a heartbeat, wrapping an arm around her shoulders protectively, pulling her into his side. Nothing good could happen if Leliana was coming with Templar’s. Acacia and Cullen walk into the room next, the small cabin quickly filling with everyone Solas didn’t want to see at that moment. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Solas’ tone is icy; eyes narrowed in suspicion as he waits for an answer from Leliana. The Spymaster gives a small nod, the Templars stepping forward and reaching for Felicity. She yelps as she jumps back, Solas stepping forward to put himself between them.

“Step aside, Solas, or you will be joining her-”

“Leliana, stop it! You need to at least explain what’s happening!” Acacia pushes forward, glaring at the Spymaster for a moment before pinning both Templars with her irritated gaze. 

“After her display of magic yesterday, many are concerned about where such power comes from.” Cullen’s gaze pains Felicity the most, his amber eyes full of mistrust.

“I’m not a blood mage!” Felicity all but yells at them, retreating another step when the Templars advance again.

“Then you’ve got nothing to be afraid of, nothing to hide.” Leliana watches both elven mages facing the Templars, waiting for them to fight back, to run. Felicity looks at her, meeting the stern woman’s gaze, her mouth twisting into a frown. Mages have been made Tranquil or killed for less. Felicity didn’t want to join the numbers, but more than that, she didn’t wish for Solas to be caught in the middle of it like he was now. Still, as brave as she wanted to be, the thought of Templars silencing her sent absolute terror coursing through her system. 

“Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.” Felicity looks back to Cullen, his stern gaze having remained locked on her, his hands resting on the hilt of his blade. But this time, instead of just holding the blade, an action to steady himself, she could tell he was getting ready to draw, preparing should she try and fight. It was like a punch to the gut to think all the trust she’d worked so hard on building is gone just like that.

“She is not-”

“This is not a matter up for debate!” Cullen snaps, cutting Solas off. “She will come willingly, or she will be taken in by force.” Solas is about to snarl something less than kind when Felicity cuts him off this time, taking a shaky step from behind him to face the Templars.

“Stop it, Solas. It’s- it’s fine, I’ll go.”

“They will-”

“They’re just going to question me.” Hopefully. Leliana nods again, and the Templars leap into action, quickly stepping forwards and grabbing hold of her arms and dragging her forward. Solas and Acacia are shouting not a moment later, demanding they calm down, that they needn’t be so rough. When they slap chains around her wrists and gag her, Solas nearly loses it, his magic filling the air, the temptation to turn them all to stone almost too intense.

“She is not a threat!” He roars, reaching for her only to have the Templars pull Felicity that much farther away from him. Cullen steps forward when Solas does, glaring at the elven mage who isn’t the least bit intimidated by the ex-Templar. 

“She has shown herself to be a threat with her magic. Leliana checked circle records and found no history of her there, and no Dalish clan we can find that would claim her or knowledge of a clan Pennel. She-” Dáithí comes running into the room, panting with his staff in hand. They’d had him scouting the surrounding area of Haven, looking for any lingering slavers, but they just wanted him out of the picture when they came to get Felicity. Some of the scouts had been discussing Felicity and her magic show when she saved Solas, talking about Leliana’s plans to apprehend and question her. Dáithí headed back the moment he heard, but it seemed he was too late.

“Cullen, I told you-”

“No, Dáithí.” The Commander turns on his heel, cutting the older man off with a sharp wave of his hand. “You were in Kirkwall; you should have known better.”

“I do know, and I’m telling you, she’s no blood mage.” Dáithí can’t spare a glance at Felicity, knowing that seeing her all bound up like a criminal is going to set him off. “You are making a mistake-”

“The mistake was letting her, an untrained mage, have free reign through Haven.” Leliana pipes in, tone calm as she studies the mess before her. “Many of my scouts report seeing her practicing with Solas, all of them saying Felicity appeared as untrained as can be.”

“She has done nothing but help the Inquisition, and this is how you repay her?!” Solas feels his heart shattering as he looks from Felicity to those holding her captive, her skin deathly pale, tears staining her cheeks, her body trembling. The Templars, one on each side, hold her arms in a vice-like grip, no doubt bruising Felicity.

“Magic like we’ve never seen destroyed the Conclave. Now we have a mage casting as we’ve never seen. It can’t be a mere coincidence.” Felicity pulls against the hands holding her, trying to talk around the gag, to deny any connection with Corypheus, but nothing she tries works. So she settles for frantically shaking her head. The vison she was suddenly getting about her near future was now fewer questions and more torture. Felicity knew how much Divine Justinia meant to Leliana, and she knew the Spymaster had yet to go through her softening questline. 

Tranquility was suddenly looking like a genuine possibility, if not a blessing when compared to the torture she could go through...

They start to drag her from the cabin, Felicity now fighting against her new handlers in earnest, Acacia standing frozen with clenched fists. Felicity had been nothing but kind and helpful, to have people suddenly think she was not only a blood mage but had something to do with the Breach hurt. Dáithí continues to try and talk with Cullen, but nothing gets through. Solas moves to follow, ready to grab Felicity and make a run for it, the consequences of such actions not even registering in his brain.

When Leliana puts a hand on his shoulder to push him back, keeping him from following, he smacks the offending hand away, his magic condensing around him to the point of being visible to the naked eye. Still, Leliana remains as cold and stoic as ever, not even batting an eye.

“You cannot follow. Be grateful we are not taking you in as well.”

 _“ Be grateful?!_ Be grateful for what? For you traumatizing Felicity, who has done nothing but help, who helped save many of the elves in Haven? Be grateful you did not just take her the night? That you did not kill her on sight?!”

“Yes.” Her reply has Solas and Acacia wondering just what Leliana would do if pushed.

“I will not-”

“If you continue to make a scene, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands.” Cullen squares his shoulders, ignoring the hurt look in Acacia’s eyes as he stares down Solas. 

“Cullen! Leliana! That is enough!” Acacia yells this time, finally reaching her breaking point. “I won’t have you rounding up mages whenever you feel like, questioning them, torturing them, killing them for some answer you could easily get any number of ways! The Inquisition is better than the Chantry and the Circle’s and the Templar’s! _Act like it!_ ” She hisses at them, marching right up to Cullen in particular to glare at. “You both will let go of Felicity,” she says to the Templar’s, and when they hesitate, she takes a threatening step towards them, fury blazing in her eyes. Their hands fall away from Felicity as quickly as if she had burned them, Solas promptly pulls her back towards him. “Now, we are going to the Chantry to talk, like civilized people.”

Solas, ignoring the others for a moment, focuses on removing the gag from Felicity, who is shaking so violently it’s a wonder she is standing at all. The manacles she is locked in prove to be more of a problem as Solas turns his attention to them. He’s about to blast them with magic when Acacia hands him the key she’d taken from one of the Templar’s.

Felicity has her arms wrapped tightly around him in a heartbeat, sobbing nonsense into his sweater as she tries to explain and plead her case.

“I’m sorry, but we need to sort this out.” Acacia motions for Solas and Felicity to follow after Cullen, Leliana taking up the back, still waiting for Felicity and Solas to make a run for it. It never happens, the small group making it to the Chantry in silence. Thankfully, they had already cleared out the main section of the building, so only a few prying eyes saw Cullen lead the mages into the lower level of the building where the cells were.

Acacia wasn’t thrilled at being back down here, having hoped never again to see the damp, dark cells she’d woken up in all those months ago. When Cullen points to one of the cells, Dáithí steps forward with a hard look, crossing his arms before looking meaningfully at the table pushed off to the side. The Commander rolls his eyes, about to fight it when Acacia’s grunting fills the small room. The table moves an inch, and then another, but it would be a long time before it was in the center of the room like she wants.

With one hand, Cullen dismisses the other Templars, the other grips the edge of the wooden table and drags it into place. Acacia nearly falls forward as the table is suddenly pulled out, catching herself with flailing arms. It would have been a humorous sight if it had happened anywhere but here and now. She plays it off, grabbing a few chairs before sitting down and waiting for the others to follow suit. As expected, Solas sits down, keeping the still crying Felicity in his arms, turning his furious gaze to those that brought all this down upon them.

“We could have started with this.” He hisses, but neither Cullen or Leliana look particularly broken up about Felicity’s currently distraught state.

“I’m sorry, Felicity, Solas… I should have stepped in sooner.” Acacia bows her head, trying to figure out how to make this work, how to make everyone happy, and she is coming up blank. “But- but we do need to talk about her magic. You can’t deny that it’s not like anything we’ve seen before, and it’s not just us who can see it. Anyone, even those not trained or used to magic, can tell that Felicity’s casting is not the norm.”

“Not in this age, no.” Solas snaps, shifting Felicity in his arms as she sits up, tearstained eyes landing on those sitting around the table. Leliana looks like she wants to dissect her, Cullen looking angry and suspicious, Dáithí alone keeping a neutral expression, though concern does spark in his eyes as he studies Felicity. “She manages magic like none have since Arlathan’s fall; it is incredible. There are records of such spells like the one she used the other night, whispers in the Fade, footnotes in ancient texts. But the Chantry has gotten rid of much of the elven history, their magic in particular. Anything and everything that could have shaped mages into what they are truly capable of were destroyed without a second thought.”

“Only blood magic-”

“You saw her casting that night, Commander, you watched and felt as she created her spell. You have seen many blood mages in Kirkwall and from Ferelden’s Circle, you **know** what they look like, what that school of magic _feels_ like. It was nothing like what she did.”

“There is no other explanation-”

“There is! She is remarkable! Just because you have never seen anything like it before does not mean it is not possible. If she were a blood mage as you suspect, if she had been using it to cast spells as expansive as the one you saw, she would be possessed already staying so close to the Breach. She would be unable to enter the Fade in her dreams. Both of which have not happened.”

“Cullen, it’s true. Felicity isn’t a blood mage, you know I would have said something if she was.” Dáithí finally spoke up, his eyes steady as he looks to Cullen. He was one of the few who knew the extent of what Cullen had gone through in Kinloch, in Kirkwall. 

Everyone has a staring contest with each other, only Felicity’s watery gaze shifting around from person to person. She hadn’t meant for any of this; in fact, it was what she’d been trying to avoid the whole time. 

“I’m not a blood mage, Cullen, _I swear_.” Cullen looks back at her, but it’s clear he’s not convinced. “I can do it again; I can try. Watch, have other mages watch, have Templars watch, I don’t care! It’s not blood magic.” There is but a moment of contemplation before Leliana is standing up and leaving the small, dark room. This hadn’t exactly gone to plan, but they could still get answers. After another long mistrustful glance at Felicity, Cullen leaves the room. He wasn’t sure what Leliana was getting, but he was off to find the best Templars they had along with Cassandra. 

Once they are both gone, Felicity lets out the breath she’d been holding, the adrenaline in her system making her jittery, shaking in Solas’ arms. 

“I am _so_ sorry!” She chatters, Acacia and Solas both vehemently shaking their heads in response, Dáithí opening his mouth to argue with her, but Felicity keeps going. “S-Solas, I don’t know if I can cast like this! Every time I try to draw magic together, it fizzles out.”

“I know, da’len,” He makes sure to keep his tone low and soft, gentle as he soothes her, even though he has such fury burning inside him. “Your magic has always been tied to your emotions; it is instinctual for you. Thus, when you are anxious or worried or scared, your magic responds. With training, you will be able to counter such disturbances within your magic, but we have not had time to get there yet. Right now, your emotions are racing within, stirring up the magic, and shifting it around before you can manage to get control. May I?” There is not even a moment of hesitation before she nods into his shoulder, her gasping, gulping breaths the only sound she could make.

Carefully, Solas moves one hand up, sliding it into her curls until his fingers span the back of her head. Magic tingles as it gathers, spreading out from his palm and down his fingers. Acacia watches utterly entranced as he casts, noting the flickers of strange blue-ish magic in his eyes. Had he always had that when he would cast? She can’t quite remember.

It’s not a spell, not really. Solas just guides his magic towards hers, skimming it against the edges of the heart of her power. Her spirit, her source of magic is quick to reply, to jump to meet him. He winces, feeling the sharp edges of fear within her, and carefully does his best to smooth them out. As her magic gives in to his, as Felicity lets herself be guided by Solas, the tension bleeds out of her bit by bit. 

“That is incredible.” Acacia whispers, wide eyes locked on the pair. Not only was Solas able to control his magic on a level Acacia didn’t even know was possible, but he was able to use it to connect with Felicity’s on a level that was beyond anything she’d ever learned. Every mage had an aura about them, especially when they cast; a little flicker within them that was distinctive to them. With a great deal of training and no small amount of talent, mages could search out others, recognize each other from their magic alone. But never had she seen someone use their own to manipulate another.

“Thank you.” Solas murmurs, working hard to keep himself from going too far, from tangling his spirit with hers, from binding them together. Every fiber of his being wants to dive in, revel in the feeling of being so close, wants to tie Felicity to him in every way he could. But now was neither the time or the place, and in fact, he knew there shouldn’t- _couldn’t-_ ever be a time or a place. 

That stung.

Felicity is calm, content, so relaxed she could probably fall asleep right then and there despite everything she’d been through earlier. Whatever Solas had done was clearly working, her mind a little hazy. It felt strange at first, a weird pressure at the base of her skull. Then she felt it, Solas, his magic. It covered her in only a few heartbeats, his magic soothing her. Felicity- tentatively at first but with growing confidence- pushes back against it, searching, reaching for his spirit with her own. She found it was cool but not cold, smooth like glass or marble. It moved in gentle waves, even, controlled. The more Felicity searched, the more she wanted, the deeper she wanted to get. The smell of rain came to mind as she focused, her magic shifting, matching his, calming as Solas continued to work. 

When he has to pull back, Felicity follows, unwilling to let the calm, the peace Solas had brought with him to leave. Solas lets out a slow breath, gritting his teeth as he keeps drawing back. Leliana and Cullen would undoubtedly be back in mere moments, and if they found Solas and Felicity like this, they would no doubt have more problems to bring to the table. Still, Felicity’s spirit chases after his, clinging desperately.

“Da’len, you must let go.” He whispers. Solas could just tear himself away, sever the link, the bond in an instant. But he’d done all this to calm her, the shock of him yanking himself back would just send her back into a downward spiral. With a great deal of effort, Felicity opens her eyes, staring up at Solas. He’s got blue magic swirling in his eyes, and though she doesn’t know it, she’s got similar white magic swirling in hers. “Let go, Felicity.” Solas does his best to keep his tone even, squelching the desire to kiss her as quickly as it rises up. When she finally draws back, he breathes a sigh of relief before clearing his throat, ignoring Acacia’s questioning eyes. 

“Solas, what was-” Felicity doesn’t get the chance to finish before the sound of heavy boots fills the air, getting closer and closer until they finally reach their destination. Cullen stands there, Rylen and Cassandra behind him. Leliana takes a few more moments before she joins them, arms full of several items, Enchanter Vivienne joining her with a haughty expression. 

Of course, she would bring her here, the one mage most likely to agree with her and Cullen, with the Chantry.

“Change into these.” Leliana thrusts a few scraps of cloth into Felicity’s hands, setting the rest of her things on the table. 

“W-why do I have to change clothes?”

“Blood mages need blood, that means scars. We, of course, will have to look you over-”

“I’m not going to strip in front of everyone!”

“You will change, or we will have people do it for you.” Felicity’s blood runs cold. They would find scars, the ones she had from that terrible night. Scars from the beating she took, but also from the surgeries that followed trying to repair the damage he’d done. Many broken bones needed to be fixed after Charlie's handiwork, and a great deal of internal and external bleeding had to be dealt with.

“Leliana! I will not say it again! We are not the Chantry, we will not humiliate and degrade mages, or anyone else, just to get answers. There is no need for you to threaten and frighten her, it is cruel and wrong. If you cannot comply, can’t be decent, then you are going to have to find yourself a new Herald and no doubt a new expert on the Fade.” Acacia crosses her arms, not bluffing in the least. She’d been told the Inquisition was trying to put things back together, to bring peace, that’s the only reason she was still here. If it were just going to end up another cruel and corrupt organization like the Chantry, she would get out while she could. 

“We cannot let her go change-”

“That doesn’t mean we all have to stare at her while she changes.” Dáithí, his voice tightly controlled even as disgust breaks the surface. 

The peace Solas had helped Felicity achieve was quickly becoming a thing of the past. She needed to get this done before it was too late.

“Can I please cast first? Everyone can watch that, then those who aren’t… necessary to seeing me after don’t need to be here.” Felicity knows if she has the eyes of everyone on her while dressed in what looks like a shitty bikini, she wouldn’t be able to hold herself together enough to use magic.

Leliana eventually nods, everyone making a strange semicircle in the room, Felicity stepping away from Solas to stand in front of them all. A few deep breaths are all the preparation she gets, Leliana snapping at her to begin. Felicity closes her eyes, picturing her Dragonborn again using restoration, and though it takes longer for her to cast, eventually, the golden light does fill the room. 

She ignores the gasps that fill the air as they watch her cast, trying to keep the magic going for as long as she could so they could all see that it wasn’t blood magic. 

“Enough,” Cullen says, cutting her display short. Felicity had been telling the truth, she and Solas both. It wasn’t blood magic, that much was fairly evident. And it was incredible what she was able to accomplish.

“That was not blood magic, Commander.” Solas is by Felicity’s side again, pulling her close to his side. “Everyone here could see it.”

“That doesn’t make her any less dangerous,” Vivienne says, her tone cold, face giving no indication of emotion. “She may be casting healing spells now, but imagine just what she would be capable of destroying if she used another school of magic. That much power will be a beacon to demons-”

“The Breach has calmed since it first started. If she hasn’t been affected or possessed yet, I don’t see why she would be any more of a risk than you.” Rylen interrupts, crossing his arms as he looks to the Enchanter. 

“Just because she hasn’t been possessed yet doesn’t mean she won’t be in the future. The only way we can assure a monstrous demon won’t be called here is to make her Tranquil-”

“You would die trying.” Solas’ voice silences the room, the tone low and dangerous and deathly calm. For a moment, he isn’t Solas, apostate hobo of the Inquisition, but Fen’Harel, The Dread Wolf, so-called God of Rebellion. He was the man who commanded armies, who waged war against the Evanuris, who locked them all away when they went too far. 

“I didn’t realize you and Meredith had so much in common, Madame de Fer.” Dáithí moves to join Solas and Felicity, his body tense and ready for anything. The mere mention of Kirkwalls previous Knight Commander has Cullen paling, recoiling back as if he had been physically hit. The past few hours are suddenly shown to him in vivid clarity, free from the fear and hatred the Templar’s and Chantry had fostered within him. Nausea rolled through him as he realized that they were recreating Kirkwalls Circle here. Cullen had sworn to be better, and here he was doing precisely what Meredith would have done. 

“Leave us.” Cullen barks, Felicity jumping at the harsh tone, her stomach sinking, fearing the worst. Rylen and Cassandra turn without a second glance back, Vivienne still staring down Solas who didn’t even flinch at the venom in her gaze. “Now,” Cullen growls, Vivienne turning on her heel and swiftly following the others.

“I wasn’t kidding about leaving-” Before Acacia can start up again, Cullen waves her off, sitting down in one of the chairs with a heavy sigh.

“I’m not a blood mage.” Felicity whimpers, her heart nearly stopping when Cullen nods in agreement.

“I- I believe you.” 

“...Then?”

“You are free to go.” Even as he says this, Leliana steps forward with a fierce expression.

“She can not. We still don’t know-”

“We brought her here because we suspected her of blood magic. She is no blood mage, Leliana, or do you think I wouldn’t be able to tell?” Even now, Cullen remembers seeing The Warden and her companions on the other side of the barrier in the Circle Tower. Leliana had been there, a far cry from the person she was now, though he supposed so was he. Still, there was one thing Cullen learned from Kinloch and Kirkwall, and that was knowing when a mage was using blood magic. Felicity wasn’t.

“She is still a threat-”

“No, she isn’t, not like that, and we shouldn’t have treated her like she was without evidence. We made a mistake, one that almost cost us the Herald at the least, a great many mages, recruits, and elves at the most. We must be better; _I_ must be better.” Cullen mumbles the last words, shoulders slumping. 

He didn’t want to be like Meredith; he didn’t want to let the fear and hatred they’d taught him dictate his life anymore. That he had, that he was so quick to fall back on them with just a little prompting from Leliana was sickening. And all this was directed at Felicity! The woman who was nothing but kind and generous and sweet, whom he trained with in the forest, had people singing her praise all the way from the Hinterlands to the Storm Coast. She did nothing but give to the Inquisition and those they helped, and he turned on her without a second thought.

Cullen was going to be sick; he was sure of it. His eyes flicker up to where Felicity still stands next to Solas, tears streaming down her cheeks again, though for a different reason, but as he opens his mouth to speak, to sincerely apologize, the only thing that comes out is a hoarse whisper. 

“I am sorry.”

“Thank you...!” She sobs, her knees giving out, Solas catching her quickly. As Felicity’s cries fill the silence, Leliana pins Cullen with a glare.

“Are you going to take responsibility for when she-” Cullen grits his teeth, squaring his shoulders before looking back at their Spymaster.

“Yes, as of right now, Felicity is a member of the Inquisitions forces, and under my command and protection. If you have any further concerns regarding our newest recruit, you may bring them to me.” He stands, rising to his full height to look down at Leliana before continuing. “I will not tolerate fear-mongering where Felicity or the other mages are concerned. The Herald was right; we are better than the Chantry, better than Kirkwall, it is high time we act like it.” The Spymaster doesn’t say a word before she storms from the room, Cullen falling back into the seat, dragging his hands down his face as he sighs. 

“This is far from over,” Solas speaks up, relaxing somewhat as the fight drains out of Cullen. There was no way Leliana was letting this go that easy.

“I suspect you are right. Leliana will no doubt have her people watch Felicity closer than ever before and report everything back.”

“I do not think I need to say it, but just for clarity’s sake, this **_will not_** happen again. The next time Templars show up at our door to drag her or me away on baseless suspicion; we will be gone before they can so much as enter.”

“It won’t happen again. I shouldn’t have let it happen this time, but,” Cullen sighs, shaking his head before continuing. “For whatever it is worth, I am sorry, and we will do better.”

“Thank you, Cullen, thank you!” Felicity- so relieved she wasn’t going to have to explain her scars, wasn’t going to be made Tranquil, wasn’t going to be tortured or killed- can’t do anything but cry and babble her thanks. It made the Commander feel even worse for everything he’d let happen.

“We can talk about the rest of this after she’s rested.” Cullen now had one more person under his direct command, and while he wasn’t looking forward to all the paperwork Josephine would have for him regarding the transition, this was the only way he could try and fix what he’d wrought. With her working under him, Cullen could prevent Leliana from doing anything drastic like this again. The three advisors had a standing agreement going since they’d taken over. They would manage their own men, meddling by the others would not be tolerated as it would only cause confusion and infighting. With Felicity officially part of the forces, Leliana would first have to go through him if she wanted something done. 

Solas didn’t say another word before quickly walking from the room and marching straight back to the cabin. Acacia remains behind, studying Cullen. She’d never seen him like that before, angry and desperate. The fact that he wasn’t wholly comfortable with magic was common knowledge, and after hearing about Kirkwall, Acacia couldn’t say she blamed him. But what she’d seen today, the paranoia, that was something else.

“Are you okay?” A startled laugh escapes Cullen at her quiet question, and he turns his guilty eyes to her.

“No, no, I am not okay. We just traumatized one of the most giving people I’ve ever met, a woman who- by all accounts- is nothing but sweet and friendly and kind. I let my fear get the best of me; I let Leliana use that to get me to act. I _swore_ when I left the Templars to leave that life behind me, leave that hatred and paranoia and anger. But here I am, acting just like Knight Commander Meredith! The one person I’ve been trying so hard to distance myself from!”

“Yeah, this was a shit show.” Slowly, carefully, Acacia moves to sit near him.

“That’s putting it mildly.” Cullen snorts, his head pounding behind his eyes, the cravings getting worse in response to the stress. “I have to be better; if the Inquisition is going to succeed, we have to be better.”

“That’s true.” Acacia’s hand pauses halfway to Cullen’s slumped shoulder, the Commander having leaned over, head hanging down resting in his hands. When she moves the rest of the way, gently patting his shoulder, Cullen freezes. “But you don’t have to do it alone. I’ll help; I need to do better too.”

“You are the reason this didn’t end worse than it could have.”

“I think if it got to that point, Solas would have simply fought his way out. I’m honestly surprised no one got hurt.”

“Felicity got hurt,” Cullen whispers.

“She did, but she bounces back fast. Just you wait, I’m sure she’ll be giving you shit for bossing her around in no time. Come on; I need some help going through reports from Corporal Vale and rethink some plans for heading to Redcliffe. I want Solas there, which means we may have to wait a few days because he won’t leave without Felicity.” They both needed to work to keep their minds from wandering right now, but luckily, neither have a shortage of paperwork to catch up on.


	11. Chapter 11

Solas’ eyes flash the moment the door to the cabin is shut, ensuring nothing short of a cataclysm would release the magic before he wished it. The adrenaline left Felicity’s system in a hurry, and in its wake, she passed out. He carefully tucks her into the bed, her bed. There was still only one the cabin, not exactly room for another with all the books, scrolls, and notes scattered around the small space. He had a bedroll he would use, Solas used to far worse sleeping conditions. Even as the anger continues to fester, Solas can’t help but smile as he remembers all the time’s Felicity had tried getting him to use the proper bed.

On a few occasions when Felicity had reached the cabin before him, she’d curl up on the bedroll, passing out shortly thereafter. Solas would come back to see her sprawled out on the floor, half in the bedroll half on the floor, sleeping like the dead. Each time he would pick her up and tuck her under the covers before getting himself comfortable in the roll. Every morning after such a stunt, she would wake up on the bed, and once her mind started to work again, she would leap to her feet and throw her pillow at him in outrage.

He doubts such a lighthearted atmosphere would be showing itself in this cabin anytime soon, though, and just like that, his grin is replaced with a scowl. Solas had been close, so close- _too_ _close_ \- to ruining what he had going here, and even now, he can’t deny the desire to watch those who would hurt Felicity burn. It would have been easy to turn them to stone, forever a warning to those who would try and take those he claimed as his to protect. Or he could have set them on fire and sent them back to their Maker that much sooner. He is honestly impressed at his control, especially when that snake of a woman brought up Tranquility.

Solas had thought himself beyond such rash desires, such boiling rage, but it seemed the instincts were still there after all these years. He was no longer a young man shaking the world to its core, fighting any and all who would oppose him, who would oppress his people, accepting all those who wished to join him into his cause. He was old now, and so very tired, the guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders alone.

He ignores a loud knock on the door, not even sparing a glance in its direction. He’d shown excellent control today already, but even he had his limits. A sheet of paper is stuffed under the door a moment later, Solas ignoring that as well, instead looking at Felicity, trying to rein in his emotions.

This issue wasn’t going to just go away because Cullen is going to shield her from the worst of it, Leliana has shown herself to be quite determined to get her answers. He’d have to set up some more wards, just to be safe. But there was only so much he could do, if they managed to get her alone and she can’t focus her magic, she’s as good as dead.

As much as he wanted, he couldn't be with her 24/7 until this all blew over, because it would no doubt be months, if not longer. The longer he sits there looking at her, the more anxious he gets, picturing her screaming and crying, imagining her looking up at him with dead eyes, the mark of the brand standing out against her pale skin. Solas turns around to the desk, pushing back his notes on the Breach and its magic that still needed to be given to Acacia. Instead, he grabs his pack, digging through it until he finds what he wants. Bands of well-worn leather, little chunks of various ores, and one of the many smooth river stones Felicity had given him.

It has been long since he crafted something, enchanted it, Solas was pleased that all his knowledge came rushing back to the surface, his hands moving with practiced ease. Every so often, he’ll look back over his shoulder, making sure Felicity was still there, still asleep. Slowly but surely, a bracelet was formed out of the materials, Solas taking great care as he enchanted it, weaving magic into every aspect, carving runes on the inside of the leather bands to ensure the enchantment lasted longer. When the leather bands, now woven and tied together, were thoroughly enchanted, Solas set to work disguising his handiwork as nothing more than some jewelry. His magic easily manipulates the Serpentstone he had collected while traveling through the Storm Coast, twining it around the leather to create delicate branches and leaves, all of which met in the center to cradle the smooth blue-gray stone in the middle.

One final rune is inlaid into the small stone, simpler by far then the rest of his work, and one last piece of deception on his part. It would be evident to anyone trained in the arcane that the bracelet was laced with magic, when they then see the rune on top, it will stop most from looking any further. The tiny fire rune would serve another purpose though, Solas having noted on more than one occasion how easily Felicity gets cold. It wouldn’t negate the need for coats and the like, but it should help take away the bite from winter’s harsh winds.

When another note is shoved under the door, Solas rolls his eyes and cleans his desk off before retrieving the parchment from the floor. One is covered in Acacia’s handwriting, the Herald somehow managing to have it look neat and messy all at once. There are several apologies written throughout the letter, and she makes sure to let him know that plans to go to Redcliffe have been pushed back. The other note is from Varric, the dwarf- unsurprisingly- having already heard about what happened. It didn’t take insider knowledge to know it went poorly, that it could only ever have gone poorly, and he offered to bring them food that night so Felicity wouldn’t have to leave the cabin and Solas wouldn’t have to leave her. 

A thoughtful gesture, one Solas wouldn’t forget. 

There isn’t much for him to do as he waits for Felicity to wake. A simple spell made sure she wasn’t in the Fade, no doubt her distraught mind and uneasy emotions would draw trouble neither he nor she wanted to deal with right now. Instead of pacing as he wished to, he stays at the desk, flipping through reports making notes where he needed. Rifts were steadily appearing all throughout Thedas, of course, more in the area’s closest to the Breach. Solas had to hand it to Corypheus, he certainly knew how to make a mess. 

When he’d survived, Solas spent a long hour trying to figure out how with no clear answers to show for all his contemplation. All his plans were thrown into chaos, and in a moment, he had to come up with a story, a plausible reason to be so close at hand. There was a chance they would imprison him for being an apostate, Cassandra had threatened it on more than one occasion, but this was the only thing he could think of that could help. The Inquisition was the best hope this world had against Corypheus, and he would do his best to make sure they could stand against the corrupted ancient magister.

Reports from his agents said Corypheus still had the orb and was quickly making plans to try and take the Anchor back from Acacia. Solas hoped that if they could use the Anchor to close the Breach and use enough magic to power it up, it would finish binding to Acacia. At least until Solas returned to full strength and was able to take it himself. 

Solas’ gaze flickers to Felicity again, his mind drifting back to all she knows. She made no mention of knowing who he really was, so he either failed, and the world never knew of him or succeeded in hiding but not in tearing down the Veil and rebuilding The People. She said the farthest out her knowledge went was two years after the defeat of Corypheus, which could be months or years from now, time passing differently according to her, slower.

It was for the best she didn’t know who- what- he truly was, no doubt she will be horrified when she finds out. Bitter thoughts well up at the idea of her disgust directed at him, her disapproval, and slowly but surely Solas sinks into a bone-deep depression. 

He was so tired.

Hours pass before Felicity stirs, waking with a tiny gasp. When he hears his name whimpered, Solas nearly falls from the chair as he rushes across the cabin. He doesn’t pay any mind to the pain in his knees as he hits the floor next to the bed, leaning closer to Felicity.

“Da’len, what-” Solas is cut off when Felicity leans up, wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging to him. He only barely catches himself to keep from falling over and crushing her.

“I don’t want to be made Tranquil!” Solas’ heart sinks. Evidently, she didn’t sleep as dreamlessly as he’d hoped. When she starts to shake again, Solas shifts them both so he is sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Felicity tightly in his arms.

“They would die by my hand if they dared try.”

“I’m not a blood mage or an abomination or- or a bad guy!”

“I know, Felicity, they all know. Even Leliana knows. I expect the next meeting the Advisors have with Acacia is going to be… enlightening for our Spymaster. The Herald and Commander have already made their stance perfectly clear, and if I know Josephine, she will be horrified at Leliana’s actions. She crossed a great many lines taking you in, threatening you, it will not go unpunished or be forgotten.”

Felicity opens her mouth, gulping for breath as she tries to speak when a knock at the door has her freezing up. Solas’ irritated gaze flickers to the wooden barricade between them and the outside world, wondering who was foolish enough to be bothering them. 

“I just need Felicity to sign this for Josephine, Solas.” Cullen’s voice has Felicity scrambling from the bed and into the far corner. She doesn’t hear the words, the tired, timid tone. Instead, her mind pulls angry Cullen to the forefront, his mistrustful eyes locked firmly on her. “I won’t come in.” He murmurs, guilt settling like a heavy stone in his gut. Even from the other side of the door, he can hear Felicity’s fear.

He and Acacia had gone to Josephine when they finished up some reports from the Inquisition camps outside of Haven. The Ambassador had gone startlingly pale as Acacia explained what happened, Cullen supplying what had happened before they had gone for Felicity. However, Josephine’s shock lasted only long enough for the account of recent events to be given. Her face soon flushed as fury the likes of which neither Acacia or Cullen had seen before rose up in the Antivan woman. She jumped to her feet, the desk chair falling back, and as she ranted, she slipped back into her native tongue, the foreign language shouted at both Acacia and Cullen who stood there and took it. Josephine paces back and forth across her small office as she nearly screams. She can’t believe what Leliana had done, what she almost did, what she had almost cost the Inquisition, all of Thedas!

It takes great effort to gather the paperwork Cullen would need to fill out, to sign what she needed, all without ripping the thin paper. 

“This is far from over.” She warns as she hands Cullen the various forms, and when he doesn’t answer, when the fury starts to burn in her eyes again, he quickly nods before nearly running from the room. “I-” Josephine pauses, taking a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to try and collect her thoughts. “I am so sorry, Herald. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place, you should not have needed to step in as you did.” When Josephine opens her eyes again, there is nothing but steely determination in the Ambassador’s calm gray eyes. Acacia can’t help but feel almost sorry for Leliana. 

Almost.

“This was unacceptable.”

“It was, and I can promise you, it won’t happen again,” Josephine said, smoothing her hands down her dress, taking another calming breath as her mind races. Things would be changing around here, they should have changed long ago. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare some more documents for our next meeting. I’ll have a runner come for you in the morning.” She bowed politely before returning to her desk, Acacia taking it as her cue to leave. The Herald had written a quick note to Solas and Felicity before she headed straight for Varric. She needed to talk to someone about everything that had just happened, and he was the only friendly face she could think of.

Solas wants to shout at Cullen to go away, any progress he’d made in calming Felicity down now tossed out the window. He stomps to the door, eye flashing with magic as he removes the various barriers he’d created to keep everyone out. When he rips the door open, Cullen barely manages to keep himself from flinching at the blatant anger in the elf’s face. Cullen does his best to try and keep from looking in, looking past Solas, but his eyes flicker in regardless, landing on where Felicity is huddled on the far end of the room, terror bright in her eyes. 

Solas doesn’t give Cullen a chance to say anything in response, snatching the paperwork from his hands before slamming the door again. The Commander’s skin crawls as he feels magic once again heavy in the air, not that he’s surprised. Solas had no doubt many barriers and wards set up after what had happened today. 

Solas scanned over the sheets of paper, ensuring it was only paperwork and the like for having Felicity join- officially- the Inquisition’s forces. It went over rules of conduct, all of which Solas is sure other members of the Inquisition had mangled not hours before. It details her pay and what benefits the Inquisition could give them in its still rather new state. 

“Don’t let them take me!” She sobs, fearful eyes locked on the now closed door, knowing Cullen still stood just outside.

“I won’t, da’len.” Solas slowly moves to sit down in front of her, capturing her gaze with his own, offering her a gentle smile when she finally sees him again. “Do you trust me?” When Felicity nods without a hint of hesitation despite the fear still in her eyes, the tears rolling down her cheeks, he feels his heart stutter. “I am not going to let them take you anywhere.” With careful movements, he raises his hands until he holds her face, thumbs brushing tears from her cheeks as she nods again with another sob. “You are safe with me, _‘ma fenorian_ , I promise.”

“Solas!” She chants his name like it’s a prayer as she moves into his arms again, his steady strength, slow heartbeat, even breaths, all of it calming her down as she focuses on nothing but him. 

“They need you to sign this, Felicity, so Josephine can start working on the rest of the official paperwork.” Felicity nods, not bothering to open her eyes, pressing her face into the side of his neck to keep herself from losing focus. “Shall I do it for you?” Again she nods, not a heartbeat later his magic flaring. Ink appears on the various lines, each one a perfect replica of her fanciful handwriting and looping signature. Another burst of magic has the papers sliding along the floor and under the door, Cullen jumping back as it suddenly appears.

He clears his throat, leaning down to pick it, not bothering to look it over. Solas would have ensured it was done correctly, all that remained was getting it back to Josephine. Cullen winces as he remembers her fury, not at all looking forward to what was sure to be a long, horrible meeting in the morning. 

Necessary, yes, absolutely. But it was going to suck. 

~~~~~

Solas and Felicity aren’t disturbed for several more long hours, their peace only briefly is broken when Varric brings the food and a small bag with several books Felicity had been trying to get her hands. He doesn’t say anything as he passes the goods over to Solas, only giving a sympathetic nod to him and Felicity, who is curled up on the bed under a great many blankets before shutting the door behind him. 

The shaking finally slowed to only the occasional shudder as night began to fall, and no words were spoken between the pair. Neither of them eats much of the food Varric had brought, the dwarf having thought ahead, bringing bread and cheese and meat that could sit out for a while without going bad. The more Felicity tries not to think about Leliana and Cullen, the more her mind drifts towards them. She needs a distraction. 

“Solas?”

“Hmm?”

“What was that thing you did earlier? To calm me down? It felt... nice.”

“In the Chantry?” Felicity nods, and Solas turns to lay on his side so he could see her reaction better. “I used my spirit to calm yours.” Others would no doubt freak out if Solas told them he could use his own magic to change theirs, but Felicity’s eyes spark with nothing but curiosity.

“Your spirit?”

“My aura, my magic, my soul; many different words for what it is, none of them quite grasping it, though I feel spirit comes closer than the others. The heart of who I am, the place my magic comes from.”

“It smelled like rain.”

“Yes, so I have been told. When I am less in control of my emotion, I am told it smells more like a thunderstorm after a strike of lightning. You- your magic- is warm, sweet, and spiced, like cinnamon and vanilla and sunshine.” Her cheeks heat at his words, Solas following suit. He hadn’t meant to say all that, but there it was.

“Can you teach me how to do what you did?”

“I can try.” It would be so much harder to resist if she were the one reaching out for him, but he would endure, he had to. This would also be a valuable skill to learn. If she were ever taken, or he was, she’d be able to find her way back to him quicker with the bracelet if she could track his magic as well. 

“Now?”

“Tomorrow.” He answers with a little laugh. “Though in the Fade tonight, I can start to explain the technique.” Felicity nods, that was fair, her emotions were still raw from earlier, her peace fragile. Their comfortable silence fills the cabin, Solas not startled when Felicity moves to rest on top of him, though he takes a slow breath to calm himself. Felicity rests her chin on his sternum, looking at him with wide eyes as she patiently waits for him to open his again. 

“Thank you, Solas. For everything.” Her voice, barely over a whisper, reaches his ears as he forces his eyes to open again. She wasn’t heavy, not in the least; it was merely an oddly comforting weight he hadn’t been expecting as her small frame rested against him. For a moment, he forgets himself, forgets that he can’t have her, forgets that she deserves better, forgets that it was supposed to be wrong. Every troubling thought left his mind for a single blessed moment as he lifted a hand, trailing the tips of his fingers against her skin before tangling them in her curls.

“You are welcome, Felicity.” A small grin twists at her lips before she ducks her head to the side, cheek squished against his chest as she intently listens to his heart beating. The steady rhythm soon sees her peacefully off to the Fade, Solas remaining very much awake in the bed, scrambling for his self-control, arguing with himself.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he let go if he showed Felicity exactly what she meant to him, exactly what she did to him. 

Maybe he could allow himself this one pleasure, this one light in all the darkness. 

Would the world truly end if he had a spark of happiness all his own?

Even now, he feels her spirit, the heart of her magic, peacefully at rest within her, and now that he had felt it, had reached out to it with his own, there was no ignoring it. His spirit ached to curl into her, to find his own peace. Solas hadn’t been lying when he told her how she felt to him, hadn’t exaggerated when he spoke of what he thought of her magic. It was like a summer’s breeze, a breath of fresh air, light and heady but fierce. Perfect. Her spirit was unpredictable, an unyielding force of nature, a beacon of gentle hope, and unbreakable kindness. 

Solas is confident that when she truly settles in here, when she can be herself without fear, Thedas will not stand a chance. 

Felicity will change everything.

She already has.

Solas keeps his word, explaining what he can that night in the Fade, preparing her as best he can for the next day’s lesson. Unfortunately, this technique, this control, is hard to teach. Every mage does it differently, focuses differently as their magic is inherently different from everyone else. There are basic tips Solas passes along, pointers to help guide her, but for the most part, it will be trial and error. 

“I actually have something for you that might help, though I made it before we started this.” Solas motions for her to hold out her arm, Felicity implicitly trusting him as she does as he wants, curious as to what he made. She’d never seen him make anything beyond paintings and spells and the occasional meal on the road. When he secures a bracelet to her outstretched wrist, Felicity can’t keep the shock from her face, her mouth falling open as she stares. 

“You made this?!” When he’s sure it’s on and releases her wrist, Felicity pulls it close, studying the intricate design with wide eyes. It was stunning, the leather soft against her skin, the deep green of the Serpentstone complementing it nicely. She can’t help but tear up a little bit when she sees the small stone held within the delicate branches. She remembers giving Solas the stone, one of many, telling him that it reminded her of his eyes, a stormy blue-gray.

The longer she stares, the longer she studied, the more she realizes it’s more than just a piece of jewelry. Warmth radiates from it, moving up from her wrist to her whole body. And beyond that, she feels another enchantment slowly coming to life. As she concentrates on the new magic, a tingling fills her chest before reaching out and connecting with Solas, and it grows stronger when he takes a step closer. 

“If you ever have the need, this will let you find me no matter the distance. It also lets me know you are searching and I can follow the tether back. The enchantment should hold no matter where you are, and Silences or Smites will not affect it.” Solas retakes her wrist, a flicker of magic dancing across the bracelet in the wake of his finger as he traces over the jewelry. 

“You made this for me?”

“Yes.” Tears fill her eyes as she looks from her gift up to him. “Is that so surprising?”

“I just- this is- thank you!” Her smile is wobbly as she glances back down at the bracelet, tracing over the branches. “It’s beautiful.” 

“I am glad you like it. This will help you reach out with your spirit, at least towards me. And once you master the technique that works with your magic, it is easy to find and identify other mages’ different auras.”

Felicity sits on the edge of the bed, Solas pulls one of the chairs to sit before her, steeling himself for what was about to come. It takes her a moment to find herself, the heart of her power. As she examines herself, she doesn’t find all that he had said, the warmth and the like. It just felt like… her. Sometimes when she would cast spells, it felt like her blood was warming up, but that was all she got from it.

She’s anxious to reach Solas again and begins to focus in earnest. Felicity would first need to draw her magic out into a shapeable form but not a spell. That was more difficult than she liked, the power too easily taking on the shape of different spells as it was pulled forth. 

“Focus on the bracelet, Felicity, feel the magic within the enchantments. Picture your magic brushing against it, not into it. Study it.” Solas’ voice is relaxing as he continues to explain, Felicity, forgetting for a moment that she was trying to learn as she gets lost in his voice. “Da’len.” He calls, drawing her out of her mind, and when she opens her eyes, Felicity is met with a very stunned Solas. “You are doing it.” 

“I am?” Felicity sits up straighter, focusing within herself again, a brilliant smile lighting her face when sure enough she can feel the same cool, calm magic. “I’m doing it! Solas, I found you!”

“What were you doing? How did you do it so quickly?”

“I was… I was just thinking about you, your voice, and I felt a little bit of your magic in the bracelet. I kinda got lost in thought.” Solas’ gaze flickers to the bracelet, wondering if her spirit had somehow worked through the enchantment to follow back to him. It would be simpler than forming the connection all by herself, but the control she would have to have would be astronomical! Too much and the enchantment would break, severing the bond. Too little and she would find nothing. Felicity’s magic ghosts along the edges of his, and while she’s distracted, he focuses on the bracelet. Sure enough, a shimmer of the enchantment lingers, clinging to the magic stretching out to him. 

Felicity would never cease to amaze him. 

“It seems you utilized my gift far more than I thought.”

“I did?”

“You felt the connection that could happen, and your magic filled in the blanks, utilizing the enchantment without activating it. Instead of the spell becoming the tether, your spirit took its place. But it matters not; this will let you feel what it is supposed to be like. A part of yourself reaching out, an extension of your mind, your magic. Once you are used to moving and searching it out, we will try again without the aid of the bracelet.” When her spirit pushes further in against him, he draws a quick breath, tensing up as he leashes himself to keep from reciprocating. 

“It’s like waves of smooth glass, a crystalline ocean,” Felicity mumbles, eyes out of focus as she studies him. “It tastes… sharp, like how cold smells. How do you taste sharp?” She asks with a little laugh, Solas unable to answer as he grits his teeth. Felicity had gotten the hang of this far faster than he anticipated, diving into his spirit with ease, searching out for his center, not knowing what she was doing. Felicity’s spirit was looking for something to cling to, bind to, albeit unconsciously on her part. She just wanted to know, wanted to learn, and while he couldn’t fault her for that, it was quickly becoming harder and harder to keep his own spirit in check.

He should have explained, he should have told her! Why didn’t he?! Solas shakes the thought away, something for him to dwell on later when he didn’t have to focus on not forever binding an innocent young woman to himself, to The Dread Wolf. 

“Felicity-” He chokes out as she presses closer. “S-stop, you cannot-” He winces when she lets out a pained yelp, her spirit drawing back ever so slightly at damaged sections of his. Creating the Veil, locking the Evanuris away- even with the help of his focus, his orb- had taken its toll on him. That he remained in Uthenera for thousands of years is proof of that. It damaged his spirit, breaking the connection his magic had with his body. The Uthenera had helped fix what was broken, but Solas woke still in a weakened state. In time, he recovered some of his lost power, Felicity helping restore more when she’d saved him that night. However, there was still a great deal of damage that remained. 

“Solas, what happened?” Felicity whispers, tentative brushing against the damaged sections, wondering if she could possibly heal him like this.

“Felicity, please stop. You need- you need to draw yourself back.” Solas fumbles over the words as he tries to draw himself away from the searching light, the soothing warmth. It takes her a moment to learn how to pull back instead of push forward, but soon she is carefully retreating. Felicity knew she’d done something she probably shouldn’t have. “Thank you.” He sighs when the last of her magic leaves him, trying to calm his mind before opening his eyes to see her guilty gaze locked on her fidgeting hands. 

“I’m sorry, I... I don’t know what I did, but it- it hurt you, right? I’m sorry!”

“No, you did not- It was not-” Solas shakes his head, another slow breath taken before he starts again. “You did nothurt me, Felicity. That injury to my magic was from a long time ago when I was young and reckless. The fault is mine, I did not warn you of what happens when you keep going.”

“What happens? It hurt, didn’t it? That’s why your face was all pinched up.”

“No, it did not. But if you had gone much further, if I did the same, it is possible we could have been bound. Our spirits, our souls joined. It is not a ritual practiced anymore, having died out with the ancient elves.” Solas looks away as he explains what could have happened, his face flushing, though not as brilliantly as Felicity’s.

“I- Oh my god, I am so sorry!” She is utterly mortified. No wonder he wanted her to stop so bad! She almost tied herself to him without his consent, she practically tried to marry him! Felicity- for a moment- isn’t sure the burning shame of her actions will ever fade, even if she didn’t know better.

“It is alright, I know you did not know what you were doing, you are curious by nature. The fault is mine for not better explaining what could happen.” There was no way this wasn’t going to be awkward for them, both of them already dancing around the desire for each other. But even then, Solas didn’t want this to set them back, didn’t want Felicity to suddenly keep her distance, didn’t want her to stop learning. With that in mind, he carefully reaches his spirit out to her, only barely brushing the edges. “Truly, it is okay. Now you know.” Feeling him helped to quiet the mortified thoughts swirling through her mind, and eventually, she managed to look back up at him. She was embarrassed, but she was still curious. 

One of these days, curiosity truly would kill her.

“Ancient elves used to marry like that?” She can’t help it when her spirit chases after him as he pulls back, though she scrambles to reign her spirit in when he grins. 

“Yes, and no. The ancient elves were still married like they are now, no magic involved. But those who wished for it, who had found the ones they wanted for the rest of eternity would tie themselves together, their very souls connected.”

“That’s- that’s adorable. And so fucking romantic! It’s like they make each other into their soulmates.”

“Indeed.” Solas clears his throat, sitting back in his chair, preparing himself again. “Now, I want you to reach me again, but without the help of the bracelet.”

Felicity was torn. Part of her- a large part- wanted to dive back in. A sense of calm came over her when she would connect with him, it felt right. Now that she’d felt it, she was afraid she was always going to want it. Another part of her- much, _much_ smaller than the other- didn’t want to even dare search his spirit out, still too embarrassed from the first time. 

“I trust you, Felicity.” His warm words were all it took to convince her, Felicity immediately trying to reach out with her spirit alone.

Anything and everything outside the cabin fell away as she got the hang of using her spirit as a tool apart from her spells. And it was for the best that she was distracted, that she didn’t leave the cabin. Word of the Advisor’s disagreement, their rather loud meeting that morning, was quickly spreading through the Inquisition outside. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
> 'ma fenorian - my little precious, akin to my darling in English.
> 
> By the way, if you guys haven't glanced through FenxShiral's expansion/ exploration into Dragon Age's elven language (Project Elvhen), it is really neat! Even if most of it goes over my head. :)


	12. Chapter 12

The meeting is already in full swing early that morning by the time Acacia reaches the door to the war room. She frowns as she stands there, listening to the shouting on the other side. Cassandra was loudest, quickly followed by Josephine, Leliana, completely silent. Acacia could feel her brooding anger without even opening the door. The urge to turn tail and run was strong, but- for once- she wasn't content to let the humans sort this one out on their own. 

"I think you guys should be a little louder, I don't think Harrit could hear you yet." Acacia tries to reel in her own irritation flaring up, tries not to slam the door. She succeeded in the latter, at least. "If you wanted all of Haven to know Leliana suspected Felicity of dastardly plans, you could have just sent out letters, posted some fliers around the village."

"I _told_ you that we should have gone into the lower level of the Chantry." Josephine hisses, throwing her hands in the air. Now she had even more fire to put out, would this nightmare never cease?

"And Roderick looked far too pleased to hear the arguing, he was listening around the corner next to your office, Josie." Antivan curses fall from her lips as easily as anything. Her pen furiously moves over the paper as she starts making a note of everything she needed to manage to keep elves, mages, and the like from making a mass exodus. "So congratulations, Leliana, you've no doubt made things a hundred times worse for our elven and mage forces here. As if they didn't already get enough shit from stupid humans."

"I didn't say all elves and mages-"

"You cannot be that stupid!" Acacia interrupts, fists clenched tightly as she keeps herself from lashing out with one. "All they need is one excuse- one example to start persecuting all. I've been spared a great deal of people's racist anger, they know they need me, but that can't be said for all of us! Now some assholes are going to feel like they are validated, that their deplorable behavior is acceptable. They'll go after Felicity first, but all elves after that- mage, non-mage, Dalish or not- it won't matter! That's what you've done, Leliana. That's what you've caused, that's all on your head."

"Justinia would be ashamed." Cassandra's hard voice rings through the room though it was no louder than her usually speaking voice. Still, her words impact Leliana as if she had been physically struck. "You are so desperate for answers you start assigning blame and accusations without a shred of evidence. You manipulate another of the Advisors, keep your actions hidden from the rest. We are lucky The Herald was there, or I imagine the Inquisition would already be in shambles. As it is, we may already be too late."

"You act as if you didn't do the same with The Herald!"

"She walked from the Breach that destroyed the Conclave! She had a mark of similar magic on her hand! Lady Felicity is just a mage, she just has magic! You truly think I wouldn't have said anything about her' blood magic' either that night or the past few months of traveling with her? It is concerning the power she has, but as of right now, she has done nothing but further the Inquisitions cause."

"It doesn't matter what other people have done, it doesn't justify what you did." Cullen finally speaks up, though his tone is nothing but tired. "What I did." He shakes his head with a sigh. He's not sure this could get any worse, but now that he's thought that, Cullen is confident something will pop up to make it worse. "Without The Herald, we are done. Without our Fade expert, the Inquisition could probably still function, but it would be much harder. And without Felicity, we lose the faith of mages and elves, not to mention both of the aforementioned individuals. That is what you almost cost us in your desperation."

"I said this yesterday, but this whole mess is unacceptable. You said, to my face, that you were trying to bring peace to Thedas, that the Inquisition was a force to restore order. What happened yesterday _was not_ peace or order."

"Leliana, we are trying to ally with the mages! Why would you go and do something like this? To one of our own!?" 

"She is hiding something-"

"Even if she was, I can't say I blame her at this point." Acacia chips in, crossing her arms as she stares down the Spymaster. "I'm honestly impressed that she and Solas haven't left Haven and the Inquisition already, formally or otherwise." 

"They would have every right! And if they left, if word got around as to why they left, any hope we would have at allying ourselves with mages is gone. Not to mention all those who support their plight. Just because those speaking out against the mage rebellion are louder does not mean those who support the mages do not exist. The King and Queen of Ferelden gave them sanctuary in Redcliffe!"

"Alistair and Eliora always had a soft spot for mages." 

"You say that as if you do not also share that sympathy. What has changed?" Cassandra asks, honestly curious. Leliana had always supported mages and spoke out for them. That she would threaten one with Tranquility seemed almost unbelievable. 

"Nothing, I still support the mages. But she is something more."

"Her name is Felicity." Acacia snaps. She can't deny the newfound distrust she felt around the Spymaster, and by extension, the Inquisition.

"So she says. There are no records anywhere I could find of a Felicity Maria Pennel, which, as Josie pointed out earlier, is a surprisingly human-sounding name."

"You'd be hard-pressed to find any records among the Dalish if her clan was more reclusive," Acacia mutters, knowing not all clans were like hers. Some were content to live in the forests far from any humans, even from other elves. "And if she's been an apostate like Solas, on the run and avoiding most cities, then you very well might not find anything. That does not mean she's some hidden spy or Maleficarum. ...Hang on, back up. Now we are suspecting Felicity because she doesn't have an elven sounding name? Are you kidding me?! Was the only 'evidence' you had- and I use that term so very loosely here- that an elven mage with a human name was acting dodgy?" 

"Herald, I-" Acacia cuts off Josie with a sharp look, finally having reached her breaking point, not that it was going to take much after yesterday's clusterfuck. 

"No, we are done talking about this. Felicity is no blood mage, no threat to the Inquisition or its interests." Acacia looks to everyone in the room, in turn, daring them to say something to her, to argue against her statement.

"She is no threat, but we are." Cassandra continues. "We have let things reach this point. The Inquisition cannot afford to be divided right now, not with every other nation and faction in Thedas splintering and succumbing to infighting and destruction. We will be better, and that starts with us. We cannot hold our people to standards that we ourselves are not willing to follow."

"We've been at this for months now, and still there are petty fights between mages and Templars, Templars and civilians, civilians and mages, humans and elves, the Chantry and everyone. I cannot even begin to count the number of complaints and arguments that have been brought to my attention either by Chancellor Roderick or involving him. Everyone is still at odds with each other despite the common goal we all share. They are right, it is time we address these matters. If we preach on how we are trying to restore order only to have such disagreements among our own people, we will get nowhere." Josephine turns her steely gaze to Leliana, who still wears a scowl, but there is a new calculating gleam in her eyes. Only time would tell whether that was a good thing or not. "I have drawn up several new policies for the Inquisition to start repairing the damage done by yesterday's mess as well as drawn up new contracts for us all to put into place better communication and accountability between the Advisors and the Herald. And since we are all here, we can look over them now."

There was no arguing with the Antivan woman who passed out a small stack of papers to everyone in the room, Acacia grimacing at all the paperwork handed to her. But if this was the only way to start changing things within the Inquisition, she would just have to grit her teeth and bear it. 

They all wonder if Josephine had gotten any sleep the night before as they look over what she had drafted up. There were new policies dealing with racism both within their ranks and between their forces and the rest of Thedas. There were now steps to take before people could be brought in for questioning, actual evidence on the list along with having to adequately inform all others trying to lead the Inquisition of the issues before people are taken in for interrogations. 

Cullen, having told the other Advisors and Cassandra about his quitting lyrium, had added into his contract with the Inquisition that should they find him unfit to lead the forces, he would be relieved of his duty. That was now added onto everyone's contract, though there were similar notes about having meetings and evidence before dismissing anyone. Acacia would now be required to come to more meetings as she held a place of significant power within the Inquisition even if she didn't want it. This would be easier if they had an Inquisitor, but still, they hadn't filled that position. Josephine was still hoping Acacia would step into the position, but the elven mage had made it clear she already didn't like the responsibility on her shoulders and didn't want any more added. She had no problem helping people and sealing rifts and trying to restore peace, but being Inquisitor was far more than she felt comfortable with.

"Now, if we are done here, I have much to do." Josephine leaves the meeting first, arms full of signed paperwork as she heads back to her office. Cassandra and Cullen head out next, both talking of the new recruits that had shown up from the Storm Coast, leaving Acacia and Leliana in the room alone.

"I-" Acacia sighs, tiredly rubbing her eyes before turning her eyes to Leliana. "I am sorry about Divine Justinia, I truly am. And I also truly hope we can continue to work together because I have never seen someone as efficient as you and your scouts." Leliana's cold eyes flickered to hers, studying her before curtly nodding.

"I acted rashly, that was my mistake, one I won't make again. But she- Felicity-" Leliana quickly corrects when anger flares in Acacia's expression. "Is hiding something, something more than just her origins or her magic. And I will find out what." With that last rather ominous promise hanging in the air, Leliana leaves the war room, Acacia leaning heavily against the large wooden table.

Had they actually accomplished anything? 

~~~~~

Varric sits outside of his tent in his usual spot as he fiddles with Bianca's fittings, cleaning everything for the fourth time as he waits for the meeting in the Chantry to finish. Word had spread like wildfire yesterday when they took Felicity and Solas to the Chantry for questioning. In the tavern that night, it was Bull's intimidating presence alone, which kept several fights from breaking out as drunks tried to pick fights with several elves. The Chargers took up patrols that night with the guards, making sure to keep a close eye on the elves and mages of the Inquisition who were already feeling the backlash.

Felicity's magic was something else; anyone could see that. But anyone could also see that Felicity was hardly a threat if they could look past the fact that she had pointed ears and magic. 

He wasn't usually one for prayer, but Varric figured it couldn't hurt at this point and fervently prayed that they could get a handle on this situation before the Inquisition turned into what had become of Kirkwall. 

"Still not done yet?"

"Not yet, Tiny."

"How's short stuff?"

"She was hiding under a mountain of blankets when I dropped off the food last night. I'll bring them some more tonight, but I can't blame her if she's not exactly a-okay. Yesterday was a shit show." Bull grunts in agreement, carefully studying the people milling around the heart of Haven. No doubt he and the Chargers would be helping keep the peace for some time, not that they genuinely minded, it just made for long hours. 

"Bull, if you have some time, I'd like to discuss patrols." Cullen and Cassandra appear out of nowhere, Varric jumping to his feet with questions, but they go unspoken at the stern expressions he's met with.

"Sure, I've got some time." He follows after the pair as they make their way to the Commander's tent. Varric quickly stores Biance on his back before trying to nonchalantly walk towards the Chantry, looking for Acacia. She would be able to give him some answers; hopefully, it would be good news, but he wasn't going to hold his breath.

The moment he sees her stepping out of the Chantry, he makes a beeline for her, but Acacia takes a hard left, ducking into the forests next to the large stone building. Varric follows, hoping she'd seen him, that she'd expect him to join her and wouldn't attack with magic if he startled her.

"It went that well, huh?"

"Better than I expected. Josie has quite a few new policies for the Inquisition. Hopefully, they help, though I imagine it will take some time to implement them all."

"So Felicity…?"

"She's fine, not in any danger, at least not of being made Tranquil. Though I imagine she and Solas are going to be on the receiving end of the racist assholes for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, while we're gone to Redcliffe, things will settle down. If they're even still with the Inquisition at that point."

"I wouldn't blame her if she wanted to leave."

"Me either," Acacia whispers, "but I still hope they don't. Are you bringing them dinner again?"

"Yeah, you wanna come with?"

"Yeah, I can explain about the meeting, at least, go over some plans for Redcliff. We- we also have to talk with Cullen about her new position within the forces. But I don't… I don't know how that's going to go over. He feels terrible about what happened- as he rightly should- but Cullen is doing his best to fix what he can. I hope she can see that. Even if she doesn't forgive him, I hope there isn't the same open animosity between them as there is between most mages and Templars."

"I guess we'll find out." Acacia nods with another long sigh, feeling far older than she was at that moment. "Come on, I think we both need a quick drink. I'll even break out my special stash." Varric smiles, trying to cheer her up at least a little. It's the thought that counts, and though the smile doesn't reach her eyes, Acacia grins back at him as she motions for him to lead the way. They could drink in her cabin; at least there they should get a little bit of privacy. 

~~~~~

Felicity makes astonishing progress, not that Solas should be surprised at this point. The arcane came quickly to her, Felicity breezing through techniques that take others in this day and age years, if not their lifetime to master. And she does it all with such eager curiosity, so desperate for knowledge that Solas can't help but show her everything he can. 

As far as distractions go, Solas was probably the best source for them. She settles for listening to him talk of what he's seen in the Fade when she wears herself out, testing the limits of how far she could reach out with her spirit. The stories of the ancient elves are the best, the world he describes sound almost too magical to be real. 

On more than one occasion, Felicity catches herself when her spirit connects with his all on its own. Each time she flushes red with embarrassment, and each time Solas smiles, reassuring her that it was quite alright. A new feeling bubbled up in the old wolf's chest when her spirit clings to his when she doesn't even realize it. 

This time, she was in the middle of remaking the bed, talking to him about how she wants to find and buy a heavy quilt when suddenly her impossibly warm spirit was curling into him. Solas watches as the tension still wound tight in her back and shoulders suddenly vanishes, her posture relaxing as she chirps about the merits of having a lot of pillows.

A sliver of jealousy wedges its way into his happiness, a bitter thought that maybe she would reach out to every mage, that he was nothing special, that he would have to watch as others felt her warmth, her peace. 

That would be hard, maybe even impossible. 

He knows the moment she realizes her spirit is wandering, Felicity freezing and falling silent as she slowly starts to pull away. She thought maybe if she did it slow enough, carefully enough, Solas wouldn't notice she'd done it again. As it was, Solas had to smother his laughter as he felt her try and sneak away. When she clears her throat to start talking again, her voice an octave too high, he can't contain it anymore. 

A sound Felicity had never heard before filled the room. It's more than a chuckle, more than a snicker, as warm, real laughter burst from Solas. His eyes fall shut, head tipping back as he laughs like he hasn't in far too many ages. Felicity does her best to memorize what she was lucky enough to witness, unsure if she will ever get the chance again. It wasn't that Solas was grumpy all the time or that he didn't have a sense of humor, quite the opposite, in fact. It was just that he usually controlled himself, kept it all on a tight leash. It was for the best he couldn't see her, Felicity wearing the dopiest happy grin.

When he continues to laugh, she rolls her eyes, cheeks still flushed as she quickly crosses the room and throws herself at him. Solas doesn't think twice as he catches her, as he holds her close, unable to stop his laughter as she hides her face in his chest. 

"Stop laughing at me!" Felicity squeezes his waist as tightly as she can, but all that manages to do is make him laugh harder. "It's not my fault! It- I-" Felicity cranes her neck back to look up at him, halfheartedly glaring and trying not to smile. "It's your fault!"

"It is my fault your spirit wanders?" Solas can barely manage to speak the words through his laughter, only laughing harder at her insistent nodding. 

"You got me hooked! It's so peaceful and serene and lovely and wonderful…" Felicity trails off, her blush flaring again at the words that just left her mouth. "It's hardly my fault that I'm addicted!"

"You are just as addicting, _'ma fenorian,"_ Solas takes a deep breath, trying hard not to laugh but still snickers break through. "But, you do not see my spirit clinging to yours." Felicity doesn't know what sound she makes, but she wishes she hadn't. It was a strange mix between a need whimper and a breathy sigh and entirely too embarrassing. 

"Y-you could." She mutters, hiding her face in his chest again, trying to ignore how nice he smelled as she took several quick deep breaths waiting for his reply. Thankfully, the silence doesn't last long. Solas only takes one slow breath before leaning down to whisper low in her ear. 

"That is a dangerous line to walk."

"Is it?" Solas hums in agreement, something he shouldn't do so close, her newly pointed ears _far_ too sensitive. Heat pours through her veins, melting over every nerve ending, Felicity working hard to keep her knees from giving out. His even breaths so close to her ear makes her shiver, Felicity clinging tighter to him as he fights with himself. "I want to anyways." Felicity sighs, the words leaving her lips without her consent, and she steels herself for the rejection. Solas stands there frozen, the last shreds of resolve washed away in the face of the desperate need he had for Felicity.

He shouldn't.

He _really_ shouldn't.

But he was going to. 

Solas leans down further, his lips ghosting over her skin. One arm moves to hold her more securely against him, the other carefully pulling back her long, unruly curls to expose the side of her neck. Felicity's next breath catches in her throat as Solas presses a warm kiss to her skin, her spirit melting into his. Again Solas hums his approval, all too willing to pull her in, to blur the lines that defined the edges of their spirits. 

Her knees give out when she feels his teeth graze her heated skin, Felicity lost in the multitude of sensations currently overwhelming her as he nips at her neck, and it is only Solas' steady strength that keeps her upright. She doesn't feel the cold air rushing into the room as the door is opened, and doesn't hear the quiet gasps for the visitors. 

Solas does, his sharp eyes snapping to the intruders, unable to stop the slow smirk as he sees Acacia and Varric standing there looking on in shock. Only Acacia is able to feel what their spirits were doing as tangled as they were, though Varric was content enough with what he could see. The dwarf grins, no doubt tucking this away to use in one of his books, and sets down the tray of food before pulling Acacia out. Varric looks Solas dead in the eyes, offering a congratulatory nod before shutting the door behind them. Solas just rolls his eyes, not sparing them another thought when he had better thoughts to preoccupy himself with. He had his arms full with the most wonderous woman he'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, and she wanted him as desperately as he did her. 

Solas wasn't about to let this chance slip away.

"It would be kinder in the long run if I kept my distance." His lips return to her neck, little kisses pressed wherever he pleased. Solas was already hooked on all the little gasps she made, addicted to the way she trembled against him. He was desperate for more for everything. "But losing you would-" Felicity's spirit immediately flares at the thought of either being lost to the other, and that unacceptable thought is enough to spur her into action. Though her legs are still jelly, she leans back just enough so she can pull his face to hers, kissing him the moment she is able, something Solas is all too eager to respond to. 

Solas wanted to be gentle, to slowly ease into this, but Felicity seems to be set on breaking all of his control. She moves against him in such tempting ways. Her body, her lips, her tongue, every aspect of Felicity was driving him to distraction as he tried to keep from going too far. Time drags on as he lets himself enjoy the woman in his arms, each passing moment sending another sliver of his control into the void.

"You are going to make me forget myself, Felicity." Solas murmurs as he pulls back, trying to regain his calm composure and utterly failing at the sight of her flushed cheeks, her soft lips begging for more.

"Could be fun." He chuckles as Felicity- not even bothering to open her eyes- tries to close the distance he'd just made between them. 

"I have no doubts that it would be fun, among other things, _'ma da'lath'in."_ His voice, lower and rougher than usual, sends another wave of shivers dancing down her spine. Felicity opened her mouth to protest the growing distance she felt as he carefully pulled his spirit back when her stomach growled loudly. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" She groans, the bright red suffusing her cheeks now from embarrassment, Felicity hiding her face in his sweater as she grimaces. Of course, her stomach would choose now of all times to make itself known! So much for romance! Her embarrassment lasts only for a moment, washed away by the sound of Solas' warm laughter. He presses one more kiss to her temple before he draws back, ensuring Felicity could once again stand before leaving to grab the food from where Varric had left it.

"It is not so surprising, we have not had a true meal in some time." Breakfast the day before had been interrupted by his questions on her impossible knowledge, the noon meal gone unnoticed as they were dragged to the Chantry. They had nibbled on what Varric brought throughout the night and into today but never ate anything substantial. It was a good sign that she was finally hungry. 

The stew Varric and Acacia had brought is easily reheated with the help of magic. However, Felicity goes straight for the fresh bread, occasionally dipping the crust into the warm broth. She studies Solas as they eat, quickly looking in any other direction when he catches her staring. 

"You are blushing." She can _hear_ the smirk in his voice, which only makes her cheeks redder, and Felicity halfheartedly snaps back the first thing that comes to mind.

 _"You're_ blushing!" Solas snorts, taking another bite of his dinner, insufferably smug as Felicity facepalms. "Oh shut up, stop smirking." She tosses a small morsel of her bread at him, though his magic quickly catches it and sends it right back. Felicity gasps in slight outrage though she had no claim to it as she threw the bread first. But still! Solas is back to focusing on his dinner, taking another calm bite, all the while that smirk stayed firmly in place.

Felicity's eyes narrow, magic flickering out towards his food, her spell taking effect as he went to get another spoonful of stew. The bowl and it's contents shrink down to no bigger than a quarter, and what can only be described as a cackle comes from Felicity as Solas freezes. His eyes flicker up to hers, and he cocks an eyebrow, his own magic coming to life as she raises the roll to her mouth. It's her turn to freeze at the sudden weight change of her bread, the victorious smile falling from her face as she looks down to see the stone equivalent now held in her hand. 

"Solas!" He shrugs, leaning back in the chair, arms crossed over his chest as that damn smirk comes back. "At least you can still eat yours!" In a heartbeat, the bread is back to normal before it shrinks to the size of a sad crouton. "Oh, haha, very funny." She wants to be irritated, but it doesn't happen, a silly grin quirking up the corners of her lips. None of the others would believe her if she told them about this.

"I do try my best for you, da'len."

"How very thoughtful. Truce?" Felicity leans forward, offering out her hand, Solas following suit, taking her hand, but he goes one step further, pulling her up. He leans farther across the table, quickly kissing her as thoroughly as he can manage before pulling back with a content smile.

"Truce." Felicity, momentarily stunned, sits back down, blinking as her mind rushes to catch up. Both her bread and his stew are returned to their normal size thanks to his quick magic, Felicity automatically taking a bite as she scrambles for something to say. 

"You're awfully smooth for a guy who's been living in the forest for years."

"Only for you, Felicity."

~~~~~

Silence fills the cabin as they both lay waiting for sleep to take them, or rather for sleep to take Felicity. Solas listens carefully to her from across the small room, waiting for her breaths to even out. Once again, she was on the bed, and he was in the bedroll, though Felicity had argued with him this time.

It takes every shred of Felicity's control to keep her spirit leashed, contained, and that control was what was keeping her awake. That and the fact that every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Leliana cold eyes and the endless questions behind them. The first time Felicity had played Dragon Age Inquisition, she'd been surprised at Leliana's character development, and not exactly in a good way. She'd been kind of scary- more than kind of- and to have that intense anger be directed at her, it was… a lot to handle.

"Solas?" Felicity barely even whispers his name. If he was awake, he would be able to hear her, but she didn't want to risk waking him up. 

"Yes?"

"Are you awake?" All she gets for an answer is a soft chuckle. "I… I can't sleep."

"I noticed."

"W-would you come up here? Just- just to sleep! Please?" Again, she doesn't get an actual answer, though she can hear rustling from that corner of the cabin that she hopes is from him getting out of the bedroll.

"We may need to reconsider getting more pillows, there is not much room left." Felicity lets out a relieved chuckle as Solas moves to sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to slide over before joining her. Tears well up when she feels his spirit gently brushing hers, Felicity scrambling to find her way into his waiting arms as she feels the same cool peace settle over her entire body. 

"Thank you." Solas just quietly hums, tightening his arms around her as his eyes drift shut. They couldn't stay hidden away in the cabin forever, he might as well indulge while he could. Felicity, finally feeling safe again, drifts off to sleep in moments, and Solas smiles, pleased that he was as relaxing to her as she was to him. 

Solas joins her in the Fade in a heartbeat, his smile growing as she looks up at him with expectant curiosity. He'd promised to show her the memories he'd 'found' of Arlathan. It would be nice to have at least one other person remember what the elves had been at the height of their power, though Solas made sure to avoid the Evanuris in all that he showed. Thankfully thus far, she hadn't had many questions regarding the elven pantheon, he hoped it would remain that way, unsure if he could lie right to her face when her warm spirit was so tangled with his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> 'ma fenorian - my little precious/ my darling  
> 'ma da'lath'in - my little heart


	13. Chapter 13

Felicity wakes first, much to her delight. Solas is laying flat on his back, Felicity draped over him, her legs tangled with his, her hands clutching the soft fabric of his sleep shirt. Sun was streaming in through the windows, and- as close as she was to Solas- she could see each and every freckle on his face. 

She loved that he had freckles, they made him look younger, softer, though Felicity could only really notice the light freckles if she got close. Felicity knows he’s got them on his face, hands, and arms, she wondered if he had them everywhere. The rate they were going, it might not be that long before she found out. Felicity’s cheeks flare as she remembered yesterday. 

She hoped and prayed it wasn’t going to be a one-time thing.

There was no stopping the slow smile that lit up her face, growing ever brighter as she imagines waking up like this every morning. Solas starts shifting, opening his eyes and blinking up at the ceiling, consciousness taking a moment to return to him. Felicity excitedly wiggles closer until she’s looking down at him, her curls creating a curtain on either side of them.

As Solas wakes, slower than he usually does, he’s greeted with a sight too perfect to be real. Felicity smiles over him, the early morning sunlight coming through the window makes her fairly glow. Warmth filled her hazel eyes, love, and adoration as clear as day in her features.

“Good morning!” Solas doesn’t say anything, can’t say anything, all thought flying from his mind. Instead, he reaches up to tangle his hands in her hair and leans up, capturing her lips. She melts into the kiss, the butterflies in her stomach doing happy little flips. It’s not enough, not nearly enough, and Solas flips them over, pressing her into the mattress. Felicity wraps her arms and legs around him, arching up, her moan swallowed up by Solas as he kissed as no one ever had. 

“Good morning, Felicity,” Solas says with a grin when he finally draws back, laughter bubbling up when she pulls him back down. 

“Feel free to never stop.” She mumbles when they break apart again, pulling him down to the side so she could curl into him.

“A tempting offer.”

“Probably not the most practical, though.”

“I suspect you are correct. What did I do to deserve such a lovely sight so early this morning?”

“You stayed.” She whispers, pressing her face into the side of his neck. It felt good with him, she felt safe and secure and just so very _right_.

“As if I would want to be anywhere else.” She shrugs, Solas’ heart twinging at the thought that such basic kindness and decency in his treatment of her got these overwhelmed reactions. He saw a little on how her last partner had treated her in that nightmare, it would be hard to be worse. He wanted to do so much more for her.

“The only thing that could make this better would be hot chocolate and bacon.”

“Are you going to make breakfast again?”

“Maybe in a bit, I wanna stay here a little while longer.” Solas wasn’t going to argue, he liked having her in his arms.

Felicity doesn’t get around to creating any food, a light knock at the door, interrupting their peace. Her reaction isn’t as bad as it was when Cullen had stopped by, but Felicity goes stiff as a board in Solas’ arms as her eyes flicker to the locked door. Solas’ spirit hadn’t left her all through the night, and he pulled her a little closer, trying to soothe the anxiety rushing to the surface.

“Just us again,” Acacia calls from the other side, Varric piping up as well. 

“You kids up yet?” Solas looks to Felicity, letting her set the boundaries, only getting up to answer the door when she slowly nods. She knew Varric and Acacia wouldn’t let Leliana tag along to jumpscare her, but Felicity couldn’t deny she half-expected the Spymaster to appear out of the woodwork. 

“Just who exactly are you calling kids?” The door opens, Solas releasing the wards once again, motioning for the pair to enter. He quickly looks out, making sure no spies were lurking in the shadows.

“You’re all a bunch of youngsters.” Solas rolled his eyes. He was older than every other person in Haven combined, that Varric would even think of calling him a child was laughable. 

“I am not sure if I should be offended by that or take it as a compliment.”

“That’s entirely your choice, Chuckles.” Varric doesn’t give it a second thought as he walks into the room, setting down yet another tray of food. It stung to see Felicity huddled on the bed, her eyes wide as saucers as she nearly hides behind the blanket in her hands. “You should let me know if you want anything in particular, I just so happen to have an in with the cooks.”

Solas sits back on the edge of the bed, Felicity moving closer as Acacia and Varric make themselves comfortable at the table. She wraps her arms around him, Solas covering them with his own a moment later, Felicity peeking over his shoulder as she tries to quiet the anxious thoughts. 

“I want cookies, but nobody can make them as good as my mom did.”

“A common problem, mothers always cook the best food.” Acacia smiles at her, trying to put her at ease as she laughs. The silence that followed grew heavier with each passing heartbeat. 

“Would you like to eat something?” Solas quietly supplies, and Felicity is about to deny it, not wanting to move, but her stomach answers for her. “It seems they brought some fruit.”

“...Yes, please.” Varric hops up, passing the bowl over to Solas, who shifts to the side to let Felicity sit next to him. 

“You are here for more than just pleasantries, I assume.” Again her anxiety spikes, Felicity almost choking on a mouthful of the berries. Solas pats her back gently, ignoring Acacia’s flushing face as he pulls Felicity’s spirit into his. The more Acacia focus, the more she can see the auras around Felicity and Solas, the gold and the blue mixing, and the blue wrapping around Felicity almost like a barrier. 

“Mostly it was for the pleasantries, but we do have some news to pass along. Acacia and I were talking with the others, we think leaving tomorrow for the Hinterlands would be best. Ruffles and Curly have got their work cut out for them while we’re gone; we should be out and about for a week or two. You both still wanna come with?”

“I think that would be wise.” Felicity nodded in agreement with Solas, quickly hiding her face in Solas’ shoulder as a grimace rose to the surface. She was all for getting out of Haven, but the thought of Leliana’s spy following her every move, watching her as she worked twisted Felicity’s stomach into knots. “Who all was going to be coming?”

“We’re still working that out. Cullen has some new forces to send out to the various camps, so they might be traveling with us. Bull and Cassandra have already stated they want to come along, I imagine Sera will want to stay out of our talks with the mages, so I doubt she’ll join us. Vivienne seems intent on coming, but I’m trying to keep her here. She’s only going to cause trouble with Fiona and the other rebel mages. Varric is coming, we need at least one person who knows how to pick locks.” Acacia laughs as Varric playfully kicks her shin.

“I’m good for more than just my ability to open locked doors.”

“Yeah, he tells the campfire stories too.” Felicity tries to laugh, and while it is not believable in the least, it helps put the others at ease. 

“Wow, I see where I rate, I’m just along for the entertainment.”

“Don’t act as if you don’t like telling your tall tales.”

“Firecracker, I’m not going to tell _any_ stories at this rate. You’ll have to settle for Chuckles and his creepy stuff from the Fade.”

“It’s not creepy!” Felicity tosses one of the berries at his face, Varric only narrowly dodging out of the way with a laugh. “At least with Solas, you know what he’s talking about actually happened.”

“Are you calling me a liar?” Varric gasps, clutching a hand over his heart looking so very betrayed though there is a spark of mischief in his eyes.

“Well, I ain’t calling you a truther!” Felicity doubles over laughing at her joke, leaning against Solas, who smiles indulgently even though he doesn’t know exactly what is so funny. 

“Well then, this horrible liar is going to be keeping the next chapter of Swords and Shields all to himself.”

“Wait, wait, I’m sorry!” Every hint of laughter is gone from Felicity in a heartbeat as Varric holds up the stack of papers, the dwarf making a show of holding it close and tucking it back into his jacket. “You’re not a liar, you’re the most honest person I know! Honest and kind and giving!”

“That’s an absolute lie, but I suppose I can let it slide this time.” Felicity eagerly snatches the pages from his outstretched hand, beaming first to him and then to Solas.

“I do like your stories better, though.” She says to Solas as she kisses his cheek, Varric’s mock outrage sending her crawling back for cover, cackling as she hides under the blankets. 

“I see Solas has been a bad influence; you used to be so sweet, Firecracker. Come on, Acacia, I think we should leave the youngsters to themselves.”

“I’m pretty sure Acacia is younger than I am-” Felicity chirps, poking her head up from the blankets to stick her tongue out at the pair. 

“I’m twenty-seven.”

“-There’s no way!”

“How old are you?”

“...Shut up.” Felicity ducks back under the covers ignoring the laughter at her expense. The door shuts as she pouts, some of the tension leaving her body now that she was once again alone in the cabin with Solas. A sigh is pulled from her as the bed dips under Solas’ weight, Felicity pulling the blankets back before he has the chance. Felicity already knows she isn’t going to like what is about to come based on his pained expression alone.

“How old are you, Felicity?”

“Twenty four- but I’m probably twenty-five by now! I was getting close to my birthday before I got here, but your guys’ calendar is all different. I can’t keep track!”

Guilt weighs heavy on his shoulders as he looks down at her. Wide bright eyes, smooth skin, youthful expression. Innocent. He’d known she was young, but still, hearing it, knowing she’d only left her parents’ care a handful of years ago, it made him feel like an old man robbing the cradle. 

“Don’t gimme that look, I’m not a baby. How old are you?”

“Older.”

“By?”

“A lot.”

“Solas!”

“Does it matter?” Solas quietly asks as he finally meets her gaze, the guilt in the blue-gray depths tugging painfully at Felicity’s chest. She sits up the rest of the way, the chapter of Varric’s book laying forgotten on the mattress as she takes his face in her hands, leaning close.

“No, it doesn’t. Not to me.” Once again, her spirit finds its way to his, Felicity whimpering at the heavy guilt she finds there. “It truly doesn’t, Solas, I don’t care even if you’re a hundred years older, it doesn’t matter!” She’s about to say more, but Solas pulls her into his lap, hiding his face in her shoulder. 

Felicity is too good for him, too kind, too pure. He was going to ruin her if he kept this going, but it was entirely too late to stop.

“You are too kind, Felicity.”

“Don’t be silly, I’m pretty damn normal. _You_ are just too hard on yourself.”

“You are anything but normal. You are a miracle, my miracle.” Felicity’s heart stutters in her chest, her cheeks heating. 

“Wow, that- you- stop saying such nice things! My heart’s gonna explode one day because of your silver tongue.”

“We would not want that, _‘ma fenorian._ I will try and keep my honeyed words to myself, but I make no promises.” He gives her a gentle squeeze, the light sound of her laughter lessening the heavy guilt. “Thank you, Felicity.”

“...Does it really bother you?” He leans back at the timid, fragile tone of her voice.

“No, not like you are thinking.” It doesn’t take a genius to know that answer doesn’t satisfy her, so he takes a deep breath before diving in, trying to explain the rest. “I am a selfish creature, Felicity, now that I’ve got you, I cannot simply separate myself from this. But you are young. Young and bright and good and _innocent._ Compared to you, I must seem like a tired, cynical old man reaching beyond his grasp.”

“You make it sound like I’m some perfect angel, that I’ve never done wrong.”

“While I know you are not perfect, it is hard to believe you would do something wrong or malicious on purpose.”

“A girl in my grade school class used to steal the dessert snacks out of my sack lunch. One day, I got tired of it and stuffed the Twinky with little pickles. The next, I replaced the frosting on my cupcake with cinnamon toothpaste. Percy said I should have stuck laxative in, but as a 3rd grader, I didn’t exactly have access to them at the time, though he did buy some for me after that. ‘Just in case,’ he said. He was the best brother.”

“Those are harmless-”

“I glued googly eyes to all of our teachers’ paper clips in protest of Microsoft’s update getting rid of Clippy.”

“I- I do not know what that means, but it does notsound bad.”

“I swapped out the chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal raisin cookies at the church campout my mom took my brother and me to because the other ladies there were giving my mom shit for not being married, for raising us by herself!”

“Da’len, I have killed people! Sometimes in defense when I would be attacked by humans and elves alike, but sometimes out of anger. Anger when I would find bandits who had destroyed another ancient ruin for no other reason than they needed to show their dominance over their surroundings or for their greed. Anger when the ignorant have snatched away that which I hold dear. Anger at what has become of elves at the hands of humans, and dwarves, and Qunari. I have walked so many paths in my years, both in the waking world and the Fade, and after everything I have witnessed, it is hard not to see this world and its people in a harsh light. So much has been lost at the hands of the Chantry, the humans- even the elves themselves have destroyed that which they found that contradicted their’ histories.’ My hands are _far_ from clean, Felicity, and it pains my very soul to think I might drag you down with me.”

“I- I don’t know what to say to make you feel better, I don’t think you really want to feel better. You’re too used to the guilt, to suffering alone, and you think you deserve it, but you don’t. For whatever it’s worth, I don’t think you’re ‘dragging me down’ or twisting my morals or- or anything. You are too hard on yourself, Solas. Look at all you’ve done here with the Inquisition! You’ve done nothing but help and save lives and do good!” A sliver of icy guilt digs into his chest. All of this mess, the whole reason the Inquisition was founded, it was all his doing, all because he gave Corypheus his orb. What he was doing now was the least he could do, and even then, it was still done for selfish reasons. “You trust me, right?” His eyes flicker back up to hers, Solas unsure of when they’d slid away off to the side, when the weight of her unyielding faith in him had gotten too heavy on his shoulders as it was added to the guilt of all the lies he’s told her, told everyone here.

“I trust you more than I trust myself.”

“Then trust me when I say you’re not some creepy old man preying on the young.” Felicity gives him a teasing grin before pressing on. “Trust me when I say you’re a good man doing good work, and I don’t want to even think about being anywhere else. Trust me.” The guilt on his face gives way to grief, tears welling up but never falling. He settles back against her with a shaky sigh, ducking his face into the side of her neck before she can see him crack. Felicity’s heart breaks as she holds him close, murmuring soft nothings as she feels his tears against her skin.

It had been a trying week for Felicity, that wasn’t up for debate, but Solas was nearly as strung out as she. Everything was changing so quickly, and in ways there would be no going back from. Her faith in him, her understanding, seemed to be the final straw.

Solas can’t remember the last time he cried- since he let himself cry. He had hardened himself to the pain and depression and grief when he started the war against the Evanuris. They’d lost so much in the early years of the great wars, the atrocities the Evanuris committed against their own people were unbelievable, and they broke him. There was no way to lead, to fight if he didn’t harden himself to the pain of knowing they would lose so much more before it was over. 

“How can I help, Solas? What can I do?” She pleads, tears of her own rolling down her cheeks. 

Please, _please_ don’t leave me alone.

Stay with me.

Never leave.

The words sit on the tip of his tongue, so close to falling. But instead of speaking them, instead of saying anything, Solas just shakes his head, holding her tighter. 

“Oh, Solas…” She mutters as a broken sob comes from the man in her arms. “It’s okay, it’s all okay. Please don’t be sad.” Felicity does something she knows she probably shouldn’t, but at that moment, she couldn’t help it. Her spirit and his are already tangled, the damaged sections closer to the surface, drawn up by his overwhelming grief. Felicity presses closer to the cracks and fissures in his spirit, pausing only momentarily before filling the gaps. Solas shudders in her arms, another choked off sob reaching her ears, but still, she pushes forward. 

Felicity thinks of healing, of restoration, of warmth and safety and peace. She thinks of all the feelings she gets when he soothes her, all the light, bubbly emotions when he kissed her. She thinks of the smell of rain, of the calm crystalline ocean that was there when his spirit was at peace. 

“Don’t.” He halfheartedly whispers, protesting even as his spirit readily accepts all the warmth and light freely given. 

“Let me help you, Solas.”

“Do not sacrifice yourself, not for me.” The conflicted emotions in his voice are echoed tenfold in his spirit, the grieving, lonely aura simultaneously pulling away from her while clinging to the light. Felicity doesn’t want to push the boundaries; doesn’t she want to force him into anything, so she slowly draws her spirit back, though she’s happy that he’s not nearly as broken up as when she first started. 

“It doesn’t matter when or where, if you need something, all you need to do is ask. Anytime. _For anything_. I’m not going to go anywhere, Solas, I swear. You’re stuck with me until you wish me away.”

“Never.” He mumbles into her skin, cheeks flushing. Solas hadn’t meant to say that, though it was the truth. 

“A stance you may reconsider in time.” She can barely get the words past the emotions clogging her throat, a small grin coming up as she remembers Solas saying those words to the Herald at the very start of the game. Felicity should have known from that that he wasn’t just a hobo mage, that he was so much more.

Solas shakes his head, clutching her that much tighter. There was no leaving her, and even though he wanted to take her, bind her, tie her to him in every possible way, Solas held back. He wouldn’t take this choice away from her, though she had begun the process all on her own just moments before. One day, he had little doubt that they would finally cross that line, but they were both still coming to terms with the last few days, it would be foolish to add more onto their plates to deal with. 

So instead of that, they both content themselves with merely holding onto each other, not a word spoken between them as they fall back onto the bed and under the covers. Packing could wait, eating could wait, Corypheus himself could wait while they enjoyed the quiet moment. 

~~~~~

That night, after both Solas and Felicity had packed their bags for the morning, they finally opened the door to the cabin. They needed to speak with Cullen, or rather Felicity did, but Solas certainly wasn’t letting her go alone. It had been a long time since she felt such terror about leaving the comforts of her room, and she has to admit, she hadn’t missed the feeling at all. 

Having Solas there helped, one hand holding his mage’s staff, the other gently pressed against the small of her back. They didn’t want to show any other open displays of affection, at least not yet, so that slight contact would have to suffice. Felicity was grateful that they didn’t need to be as careful when it came down to their spirits. Other mages who were attuned to such things or perhaps those purposefully looking would be able to figure out what they were doing, but otherwise, they could walk around Haven with none the wiser. Every new voice, every laugh or shout, every slammed door and window made Felicity nearly jump out of her skin, her eyes constantly darting around to see if they were being watched, followed.

Well, she knew they were being watched, it was the fact that she couldn’t see anyone that made it worse. 

“They will not take you again, Felicity.”

“They could try...” Something like a low growl rumbles from deep in his chest at her worried words, Felicity freezing to look at him with wide eyes. It shouldn’t have been as hot as it was, this was precisely the wrong time and place to be getting anywhere near aroused, but damn it all if that wasn’t the sexiest thing she’d ever heard. 

The sudden heat in her spirit threw Solas for a loop, his fury slowing his mind down, only connecting the dots when he looked to Felicity to see her wide eyes and flushed cheeks, her mouth adorably hanging open. Once again, he’s thankful he’s in control of his emotions and not the other way around, or he imagines he’d have taken her then and there.

“Whatever am I going to do with you, _‘ma fenorian?”_ Solas whispers, smirking as he shakes his head. Felicity’s throat is too dry to form any words, though she does try. As nonchalantly as he can, Solas guides them to a small shaded alley between some cabins, throwing up a quick barrier behind them to further block them from view before pulling her into his arms and kissing her for all he’s worth.

One kiss melts into another, and another, and another. Solas only pulls back when her knees finally give out, and he is half supporting her, half pinning her to the wall.

“L-like I said earlier, you can do that-” Felicity motions to him in general as she tries to collect her thoughts. When her hazy gaze drops to his lips again, Solas’ grin is downright wicked. “Any of that- _all_ of that- whenever you wish. Maybe all the time.”

“Still a tempting offer, Felicity.” He purrs into her ear, earning him another shuddering gasp. “But we do have some work to attend to.” Solas pulls back to see her pouting, chuckling as he stands up straight and helps her do the same. 

“So… more later?”

“Come on, da’len.” He laughs as they step out, ignoring the startled glances as people watch them appear out of nowhere, but more startled by the serious elven mage laughing. As they walk, Solas replaces the numerous barriers he had over her and around them both, all of which should be hidden from the naked eye. His eyes miss nothing as they walk, quickly spotting those the Spymaster had sent to watch them. This was something he was used to, finding spies in his midst, a skill he’d nearly perfected back in Arlathan. He had to hand it to Leliana and her agents though, they were good, blending in the hustle and bustle of Haven well.

As they left the gates, Cullen’s tent on the outskirts visible from here, Felicity’s nerves finally push the last of the desire from her mind. This time she’s shaking not from excitement or passion, but from terror. 

“I don’t think I can do this.” She whispers, their steps slowing until they are standing perfectly still in the snow. 

“I will be with you the whole time, he cannot do anything to you.”

“He’s a good man- I _know_ he’s a good man- but I- I-” Her breaths start to come hard and fast, Felicity’s arms wrapping around her abdomen, trying to physically hold herself together. “I think I’m going to be sick.” 

Solas takes a quick glance around, noticing that it was now not just the spies watching them. Several men had gathered near the stables, glares and frowns etched into their faces as they not so quietly whispered about the pair of elves. Off to the other side where soldiers were doing drills stood several Templars, and even though Solas couldn’t see their eyes through their heavy helms, he knew their oily gaze clung to them as closely as the spies.

He’d hoped that coming out later in the evening when people would be finishing up, heading for home or the tavern, would keep them away from Felicity. Evidently, they were all waiting for her just to take a step outside, waiting in the wings for their chance to further belittle and scare her.

“Oh god, he’s here!” She chokes out, taking a stumbling step back as Cullen walks from his tent, his eyes locked onto the report in his hand, quietly talking to the messenger following him out. 

“We’ve got them, get her into the tent fast.” Bull’s voice suddenly comes from behind them, Felicity too distracted to startle, not even noticing the giant. Solas wonders how one as large as he could move so quietly, but instead of questioning the massive Qunari, he just nods. His arm shifts, wrapping around Felicity’s waist as he tugs them forward, his spirit calming her just enough to get her moving. Once they were out of sight of all the prying eyes, he could help her further, but if she broke here, it would just give the racist assholes more ammunition to use against her. 

Krem and several of the Chargers head towards the growing group of townspeople and workers by the stables, their bodies blocking both mages from view. Bull moves to the Templars, silently daring them to make a move as he crosses his arms over his chest. 

Solas quickly walks Felicity to the large tent the Commander used as an office, ushering her into the back corner before a flicker of magic had the flaps of the tent falling down and giving them some peace of mind. 

“F-fuck…!” She sobs, falling into Solas waiting arms. “I- I can’t stop- Solas, please, I need- I need to-”

“What is going on-?” Cullen walks into the tent, irritation clear on his exhausted face, all of it dissipating when he sees just who decided to make themselves at home in the tent. “Makers breath!” He runs his hand nervously through his hair before rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t think that you, that she would-” He waves an awkward hand between them, doing his best to keep from even looking at Felicity. “After everything, I thought- no, that doesn’t matter.” Cullen quietly groans. He’d never been particularly good with words in general, worse when there were emotions involved, _especially_ worse when it involved the opposite sex.

“If I might have a moment?” Solas asks- hisses- though it is more of a statement than a question. He was going to take a moment whether the Commander allowed it or not, though it would be wise on Cullen’s part if he allowed Solas to calm her down lest he wanted a distraught powerful mage on the loose. Cullen nods, quickly stepping back and sitting down in the opposite corner, trying to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible, not exactly something that can be achieved in all his armor, but he had to at least try.

“Please help me!” Felicity sounds as if she’d run miles, her frantic plea tearing into both men’s chests, Cullen physically flinching. “I don’t want- but I can’t- he’s- he’s-” Cullen wants to run away, wants to be almost anywhere but here. The last thing he wants to hear is what she thinks of him now, to hear that she too thinks he is a monster. He is, but to hear her say it would be worse.

“He is not going to lay a finger on you, Felicity.” Solas pulls her back into his arms, tucking her face into his chest as he quietly murmurs. Cullen flinches again at the feeling of magic in the air, but he just grits his teeth and does his best to ignore the crawling sensation of it on his skin. “I know you do not wish to be here, _‘ma fenorian,_ and I am sorry that we must be. Would you rather have him come to the cabin? I am sure we could arrange-” Solas cuts himself off at the frantic shakes of her head. “What do you need me to do, Felicity?”

“H-hold my hand, and- and don’t go anywhere.”

“You say it as though I do not already wish to. It is no great task, I can assure you.” Solas gently teases her, squeezing her hand as his spirit wraps around hers, leaching away some of the fear. “Will you be alright?” He quietly asks as she takes a shaky step to the side, not in any way away from Solas, just enough to be able to look at Cullen if she opened her tightly closed eyes. 

Felicity’s lips are pressed into a thin line, and she gives Solas a hard nod as she tries to shove her fear, her terror from her mind. She could do this; she had to. And if she couldn’t, she was going to have to fake it until she made it. Either way, this wasn’t going away, and if she didn’t face it now, there was no way Felicity would ever stop running away from it. 

“T-thank you for allowing me to join the Inquisitions forces.” The words hang in the air, Felicity finally opening her eyes when she heard nothing from the Commander. Cullen sits there, stunned at the words that she’d just said, having expected quite the opposite. Felicity grimaces as she looks at him, pushing the fear back for another moment as her heart aches in her chest. 

He looked like shit, his skin pale and drawn, eyes dark and sunken, shoulders slumped over, guilt and pain and regret painted all over his expression. Cullen was suffering from withdrawals and now this as well, and it hurt to see him like this, but even now, she could see the darker version of him as clear as day, the anger and hatred and mistrust in his familiar eyes.

Felicity wanted to help him, wanted to forgive and forget, but she couldn’t, not yet- maybe not ever a scared part of her mind whispered- but she hoped maybe one day this sickening terror wouldn’t swallow her whole every time she thought of seeing him again.

“I would- I would like to go with Aca- with the Herald to Redcliffe.”

“Of course, I’ll get everything in order. She has already requested your assistance, both of yours.” Cullen watched her start to shake like a leaf in the wind as he stood, he dared not take even a step forward as she jerked back into Solas. “I will finish making the preparation, all I need- well, it’s for Josephine really- but you just need to sign some final forms before we send you out into the field.” He reaches out to point to the sheets she would need to fill out, but Solas’ magic reaches out first, taking ahold of the pages and bringing them to the middle of the large desk for her to fill out. Cullen sucks in a deep breath, his own body seizing up to keep from lashing out.

“No, don’t- don’t use magic. Please.” Felicity begs, turning her teary eyes to Solas. She may be in pain and it might have been partly Cullen’s fault, but she didn’t want him suffering anymore because of this, he was paying a high enough price as is.

“It-” Cullen grits his teeth, taking a slow breath before managing to open his eyes. “It’s fine.”

“It’s not! I’m- I’m sorry, I- I’ll-” She tries to force herself to take a step forward, a step closer to the desk but also Cullen. Her feet don’t move even an inch, though her shaking gets even worse as she lets out a frustrated sob. Instead of using his magic, Solas takes a step, stretching out to snag both the papers and a quill. 

“Just a moment more,” Solas whispers, pressing a soft kiss to her temple as she takes the quill. Felicity takes a breath, holding it deep as she signs her name so messily it’ll be a wonder if anyone could read it. The moment she’s done, she drops the quill, falling back into the corner, Solas immediately moving to block the Commander from view.

“Thank you, Lady Felicity.” Cullen quietly says, tensing up as he feels magic begin to fill the room. A heartbeat later, all that’s left in the tent with him is icy air, Solas having no doubt Fade Stepped them back towards the cabin. He only hoped the mage was taking her a roundabout way, those in town wouldn’t react well to the mages blasting through the village. Once his breathing is back under control, when he’s sure he can pick up the parchment without crumpling it, he calls for the messenger to come back in. “Take this to Ambassador Montiliyet, and tell Dennet there will need to be two more mounts ready for the morning.”

The messenger nods, turning on her heels and quickly walking out. Ryen walks in just as Cullen is collapsing into his chair, leaning his arms on the desk and trying to will away the migraine. Maker, he was so tired of the pain, so tired of being tired. Still, Cullen doesn’t move, quietly waiting for Rylen's report.

“The troops are all set to march out with the Herald tomorrow. They are all aware of the changes that have been made to the Inquisition regarding elves, mages, and other minorities. It was well-received, mostly. A few had loud protests and were quickly taken aside. Only time will tell if it will stick.” Rylen digs through one of the chests as he talks, placing one of the potions on the desk in front of Cullen once he finds where they were hiding. “I know you don’t want to rely on healing potions and the like, but you can’t let it get this bad.” 

“I know…” Cullen knocks back the potion before turning his eyes to the stack of reports he still had to go through. As he begins to sort through them all, Rylen takes his leave, making a mental note to check on him again later. He supported Cullen's voice to quit, and Rylen prayed that he could succeed, but watching his friend suffer like this was hard. Harder still because Rylen couldn't really think of any way he could help.

If the world would just stop burning for a moment they might be able to figure everything out, fix what they could, but Rylen doubted it would be that easy.


	14. Chapter 14

It’s another long night as Felicity tries to relax, to get to the point where she can finally fall asleep. She feels terrible for Cullen and everything he’s going through; she upset that it’s made worse by all the extra stress from her magic. But she also feels indignant. They had wronged her; they had hurt her; she shouldn’t have to feel guilty that they now thought their actions wrong. That back and forth keeps her up into the early hours of the morning, even with Solas there as a constant source of comfort. 

They don’t wait for any messengers or wake up calls, Felicity and Solas leaving before the sun even starts to rise, wanting to avoid anyone and everyone who would otherwise stare and gossip. With packs over their shoulders, they stand near the stables, patiently waiting for the others. Bull is next to join them, unsurprised to see them lingering in the shadows. Blackwall and Cassandra arrive with a handful of men who would be stationed in the Hinterlands under Corporal Vale’s command. 

Felicity shrinks back into Solas when their eyes land on them, though they are surprised when it flickers away, all of them giving the elves some privacy. Neither had been expecting that, and Felicity starts to hope that maybe this wouldn’t be as terrible a trip as she thought. 

Dáithí, just behind the others, makes a beeline for Felicity and Solas the moment he sees them. A heavy stone of worry had been sitting in his gut after everything that had been done to Felicity. Solas had kept her hidden away to try and recover; he honestly wasn’t expecting either of them to stay after that stunt Leliana pulled. 

“Dáithí!” A smile breaks Felicity’s sullen expression, though her eyes remain anxious, flickering from him to those behind him and back. “Are you coming too?”

“I am. We can’t let your training fall by the wayside.” That was an excuse, one that both Felicity and Solas saw through; Felicity was just too relieved to care. With one hand still tightly holding onto Solas, she takes a step forward and pulls Dáithí into an awkward hug. “Are you alright?” He gruffly asks as he returns the hug, and that’s all it takes to have Felicity blubbering in his arms, trying to nod and shrug at the same time while her tears soak his cloak. 

“You’re staying with us, right? You are not staying in the Hinterlands?”

“Yes, Cullen believes it best to have someone else to watch your back until things calm down.” He looks to Solas, who has indignation flaring up at the implications that he couldn’t look after Felicity, but Dáithí quickly keeps going. “Someone who’s not another elven mage. I know better than most how capable you are. All I am supposed to be is a barrier, a deterrent to keep the more vocal assholes at bay.”

“Does it bother you?” Felicity whispers. She’d never, for one minute, regretted being an elf. She loved it. But it was dawning on her now what they really went through in Thedas, what the Chantry and others taught the people regarding elves.

“What?”

“My ears.” Dáithí scoffs, leaning back and waiting until she looks up at him, blotchy face, running nose and all. 

“No. They don’t. They shouldn’t bother anyone, but some people are too stupid for their own good. My-” Dáithí pauses, struggling for a moment as a wave of emotions overtakes him as they always do when he thinks of Maris and Aithana. “My wife was elven. My daughter was half-elven.” Felicity’s eyes go wide, her heart aching as Dáithí looks off to the side, pain evident in his eyes even though he does his best to hide it. 

“Was?”

“Kirkwall was a dangerous place after the Chantry exploded- people saw a mage and reacted. The whole clan was- they-” Dáithí shakes his head, unable to keep going through the pain of the memories. He’d run straight to where the clan had made their home just outside of Kirkwall, knowing they would need protection in the chaos. He’d found nothing but burning remains of their houses and charred, disfigured bodies. Maris laid there, so many arrows lodged in her back, Dáithí falling apart when he moved her to see their daughter in her arms. Little Aithana, only four years old, clinging to her mother with tears on her cheeks. Her blood- their blood- soaking the ground from where arrows had pierced all the way through Maris and into Aithana.

It was hours before Dáithí could even think about moving from them, about burying them, about anything other than the soul-crushing grief. The guilt because he should have been here, he should have protected them. He spent days grieving as he burned the bodies, keeping a handful of Maris’ and Aithana’s ashes in a pouch, the rest cast into the sea they so loved. That’s when Cullen found him, the Kight-Captain looking as shitty as Dáithí was. No words were spoken as both men took a deep breath before squaring their shoulder, heading back into the mess that was Kirkwall. 

No one else would die like his family had, not if he could help it. It was an easy choice to join Cullen when he came to support the Divine with the Conclave, as they began to organize what would soon become the Inquisition. There was nothing left for him in Kirkwall, and in fact, he quite wanted to go. 

“Oh, no.” Felicity lets go of Solas’ hand, instead wrapping both arms around Dáithí, who’s still trying to hold it all in. “I’m so sorry, Dáithí.” Now Felicity was crying for a whole different reason. Her magic rises up as it always does with her emotions, a soft glow surrounding her, and carefully wrapping Dáithí up as well. Gentle peace settles in his chest, the same feeling he got when he was with Maris, when he held his little baby girl. “It’s not your fault.”

“I should have been there.”

“There was no way you could have known. It’s not your fault.”

“It was my duty to protect them.”

“You couldn’t protect them from everything. You know that as well as I.” He takes a shuddering breath, her magic soothing away guilt he’d carried every step since that day. It’s not gone, it never will be gone entirely, but it helps, Felicity helps. 

She always did. 

Felicity steps back after another long moment, leaning against Solas, her spirit searching for the same comfort she just gave. He’s all too willing to offer what he can, meeting Dáithí’s gaze. In that instant, Dáithí could see the same grief in Solas’ eyes; he knew that Solas had felt the same pain. They share a grim nod, Solas’ arm tightening around Felicity just a little more. Dáithí looks to the small woman who was in the process of trying to dry her face and stop crying.

They wouldn’t lose her too.

Dennet interrupts them when he brings out two mounts, Felicity grimacing as she looks up at the giant horse. She still wasn’t very good at riding, and the horse looked so tall that her mind ran rampant with all the injuries she could sustain from a single fall. 

“Would you like to ride with me, da’len?” She turns to answer him but startles when she sees the large hart they’d brought out. He was different from the others, bigger, if that was possible, his eyes looking far too intelligent. The giant animal bobs its head, taking a step forward towards her. Dennet pales, trying to pull it back, but he can’t do anything to stop something that was more than four times his size. The hart leans it’s head down, careful not to hit anyone with the impressive antlers, and gently nudges its head against Felicity. Her face breaks into a smile, and she wipes the last of the tears from her face before reaching out to pet the hart. 

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Dennet mutters, eyes wide as he watches the hart playfully nudge Felicity. Solas can’t help but smirk, Panelan had always been a trouble maker. “Showed up one day, made himself at home but won’t let anyone near him apart from Ser Solas, and here he is acting like a puppy.” The hart lets out a loud huff, turning an eye to glare at Dennet, who takes a step back with his hands raised. “Nothing wrong with that, of course. I even tried to have other elves handle him, but he wouldn’t have it.”

“What’s his name?” Felicity bounces with excitement, and it only grows when Dennet says they didn’t name mounts, certainly not ones as wild as him. Her shining eyes turn back to Solas, and he immediately knows where this is going. “Can I name him?!” Solas knows the kinds of names Felicity picks; they are usually crazy and ridiculous. He can’t deny he’d like to see his old friend brought down a peg. 

“Of course, what did you have in mind?”

“Ser Clatterdash!” She declares without hesitation, turning back to the hart with a smile so brilliant she practically glowed. He lets out a resigned huff, nudging her with his head again, his gaze flickering to a snickering Solas. No doubt, Solas would be paying for this later, but for the moment, he was just going to enjoy the moment. “He’s yours?”

“He is no one’s but his own.” Ser Clatterdash raises his head, standing at his full height for all to admire. The sun that just started peaking over the surrounding mountain tops lets them all get a good look at the striped pattern of dark and light browns in his fur.

“He’s perfect!” Solas quickly glances around when he feels her start to cast, but for the most part, everyone is busy getting their mounts prepared. “You’re so pretty.” He can feel the magic in her words, and Panelan startles. Solas had told him that Felicity was gifted with magic, possessing skills that Thedas hadn’t seen since the fall of Arlathan, but to see it in person was something else. He leans his head back down once again, not wanting to out her after everything she’d already gone through. 

“I could understand you before.” He makes an oddly soft whining sound, nothing like the screaming they make while running in the game, and her spell translates it into words she can understand.

“What is your actual name? I doubt you want Ser Clatterdash.” Felicity whispers, not wanting everyone thinking she’s crazy, but Solas can hear, and his smile grows. 

“Panelan.” 

“Would it be okay if I rode with Solas? I’ve never ridden anywhere before; I’m pretty bad at it.” He nods his head, pulling away and stepping off to the side so Solas could secure their packs on the saddle. While he does that, Felicity turns to Dennet with another big smile. “I’ve changed my mind; his name is Panelan. Ser Clatterdash will be his formal title, though.” Solas snorts as he works, and even Dáithí let an indulgent smile break through his gruff demeanor. “I will need help up-!” Felicity cuts off with a shrill yelp as Solas picks her up by the waist and helps her up. “Solas!”

“I am merely helping you, _'_ _ma fenorian. ”_

“Helping me to an early grave, maybe. Oh boy, this is high up.” She tenses up as she sits atop Panelan, thankful he doesn’t move, standing perfectly still as Solas pulls himself up as well. “I’ll break something if I fall.”

“I am not going to let you fall.” Solas quietly assures her, his spirit reaching out to draw her in, humming in approval when she relaxes back against him. “Neither will Panelan. We will be fine.”

“All will be well.” Panelan supplies, Felicity magic still in the air around them to translate for her. 

“Okay yeah, he’s right. It’ll be okay.”

“You believe it when he says it, but not when I say it?”

“Kinda, yeah, I’m riding him, not you!” Felicity rolls her eyes as she turns to him as if that should have been obvious that she would trust the hart. Solas just shakes his head, smirking as he leans down to whisper in her ear.

“We could change that, Felicity.”

“Oh, fuck you, what the hell?!” She sputters as she involuntarily shudders, her cheeks flaring bright red as her mind runs away with the possibilities. His dark chuckle has her throat going dry, Felicity becoming painfully aware of the man behind her.

“You make this too easy, Felicity.” Solas pulls back after that, laughing when Felicity throws herself forward to hug Panelan’s neck, quietly talking about how he’s such a stupid hobo egg. However, there is not even a hint of any irritation in her quiet words. 

“And here I thought I’d be the early bird for once.” Acacia laughs as she walks up to the group already getting on their mounts. “Everyone set?” She looks over the various mounts they had, most of the troops manning the handful of carts they had filled with supplies for the refugees. A grin tugs at her lips as she sees, high on top of an impressive hart, sits Felicity. The woman is leaned forward, quietly whispering to the animal, her fingers trailing through the soft fur as Solas sits behind her, looking far too smug about something.

“Everything is ready, Herald.” Cullen, joined by Josephine and Leliana, appear from the gate, only Leliana looking wide awake so early in the morning. Her eyes snap to Felicity in a heartbeat, narrowing as she sees both she and Solas on one mount.

“Did we not have enough mounts for the journey?”

“She’s not an experienced rider; she would feel more comfortable riding with me.”

“He’s a sturdy fellow. He can handle them both.” Dennet interrupts, nodding towards Panelan, the beast turning its intelligent eyes to stare at Leliana as if he knew the trouble she was trying to cause. It’s a long moment before Leliana finally turns away from them, but even though Felicity knows the Spymaster is no longer looking, the twisted, sick feeling doesn’t leave.

“It seems they still have Redcliffe shut off, though I managed to sneak some agents in. Word from them has been… slow. It would be best to approach them cautiously.” Acacia nods, expression serious regards the Advisors. She knew Cullen still wanted the help of the Templar’s, but after that display in Val Royeaux, Acacia wanted nothing to do with them. They needed help. They needed the mages. Acacia hoped that by the time they got back, treatment of them from the townsfolk and others in the Inquisition had improved. 

That night, even she had heard the drunks walking through Haven slurs and hatred falling from their lips as easily as their excuses did when the patrols caught up with them. Josephine had a sudden influx of requests asking for people’s quarters to be moved, almost all of them wanting to be nearer to The Chargers, even if it meant staying in tents instead of the makeshift barracks and cabins. Though she didn’t need to look closer to know, upon a little investigation, most of the requests came from elves, a few from mages as well. Of course, she had granted the requests, thankful they were just moving where they slept and not leaving the Inquisition entirely.

“Don’t worry! We handle this as tactfully as possible. You’ll be so impressed when you hear how good we do, Josie.” With absolutely no subtlety, Acacia moves her mount to block Felicity and Solas from view, her smile sharp as she looks at all the Advisors in turn. “Now, let’s be off!”

Acacia leads the way, Blackwall and Cassandra on either side. The soldiers and carts are in the middle, Solas and Felicity hanging back right behind Dáithí, with Bull and Varric on either side. 

“So… um, what did you guys name the horses?” Her voice was still too high and tight, the tension and anxiety still holding her chest with an iron grasp. But each step they took away helped, Solas’ arms around her helped, having Varric and Bull there- on her side- helped. 

Felicity prayed by the end of this trip she had worked through this. At least to where she could continue her life in Haven for however long they had left there. 

“We didn’t?” Varric says, casting a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. “Did you?”

“I’m glad you asked, I was thinking Ser Clatterdash for this majestic beast, he needs a regal name, and I think that fits well. But his name is Panelan; Ser Clatterdash will only be used when we need to appear dapper.” Felicity pats the side of the harts neck, and it huffs out a breath in response, looking as pleased as a ginormous elk-like creature could. “For your’s, Bull, I was thinking Mayhem or The Inevitable End. You know, something intense.” Their eyes all fall to the gentle, well-tempered mare he road, the mount massive, but still she seemed easy going. 

“I’ll let you decide. You’ve clearly got a gift.” Bull laughs, his tone dry as he gives her an indulgent smile. He hadn’t really expected her to be able to talk after what he’d seen yesterday, for once, he was happy to be wrong.

“Okay, so we have Ser Clatterdash, The Inevitable End, and for Varric’s, I think Tinkerbell would be spot on.” She smiles innocently at the dwarf who’s mount is smaller, though still a full-grown horse. And whatever it lacks in size compared to Bull’s mount, it makes up for in anger and a mean face. Even then, he doesn’t act out, following Varric’s commands well enough.

“I get Tinkerbell, and he gets The Inevitable End? How is that fair? What if I want something intense?” Varric playfully complains, a genuine smile breaking the mock irritation when Felicity giggles.

“I don’t make the rules Varric,” Felicity throws her hands up, leaning back against Solas with a smile. “I think they’re good names, don’t you?”

“I think you are correct. Have you thought up names for every mount?”

“I have some ideas. I don’t wanna name them if their rider has already got a name for them, though.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you.”

“I do try.” Solas leans down, dropping a kiss on her shoulder, one hand holding the reins, the other sliding to wrap around her waist. Felicity has her eyes closed, her happy smile bright on her face, and she is utterly oblivious to the eyes of Varric and Bull. Solas, though, can’t help feeling a little smug.

“So… we going to talk about this?” Varric asks, but before Solas can tell the dwarf to mind his own business, Felicity opens her eyes, turning to look at him, her head tilting just a little to the side as she questions him.

“Talk about what?” Felicity, eyes wide, and her expression devoid of everything apart from curiosity. She is the picture of childhood innocence, and Varric sputters. “Varric?” Her spirit reaches out for Solas’ and he carefully school’s his features at what he finds. The wicked spark of delight he finds at messing with Varric threatens to send Solas into a fit of laughter.

“You- You and Chuckles-”

“What about Solas?” This was too good to pass up, so Solas leans down again, his lips finding the slope of her neck to press kisses along, all the while Felicity keeps her innocent act up. 

“Oh come on, you can not be- there’s no way, I _saw_ you two _-_!” As Varric stutters, the dwarf actually blushing, Felicity finally cracks, breaking into a fit of giggles, Solas joining in her laughter when he glances up to see the shock on Varric’s face. “Felicity Maria Pennel! You sneaky little troublemaker!”

“Damn, she got you good!” Bull’s loud laugh added in draws the attention of those in front of them, eyes turning back to see an embarrassed Varric, and the other three nearly falling off their horses laughing so hard. 

“What’s going on back there? Seems like I’m missing all the fun.”

“Felicity was just having a little fun messing with Varric.” Solas supplies, still chuckling as Varric sputters. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this flustered before.”

“I knew I should have stayed in Haven.” He grumbles, Felicity only barely managing to pull herself together before turning to him.

“Oh come on, don’t be like that. It was funny, and you know it. Serves you right for being nosy.”

“I just asked a question!”

“A nosy question. As much as I like your books, I do not want my love life written between the pages.”

“So you admit there’s something here.” Varric teases with a grin, his smile growing when Felicity sticks her tongue out at him in response. “What I saw the other day in the cabin certainly seemed like more than just ‘something,’ though.”

“Oh, bite me, Varric.”

“Nope, Chuckles seems to have that all handled for you.” Felicity’s cheeks heat as she can feel the smugness rolling off Solas in waves. 

~~~~~

They don’t make it to the camp in the Hinterlands before night falls, the group having spent too much time helping refugees they came along to and closing a few rifts. Instead, they circle the wagons around and create a makeshift camp for the night. Varric cooks up the ram they’d killed, one of the scouts offering up a small pouch of seasonings which Varric was only too happy to use. 

When everyone has eaten their fill, they use a few crates as tables and start a game of wicked grace. It doesn’t take long for people to notice that Felicity has no earthly clue what she’s doing as she starts tossing out money and cards.

“Okay, hold on. I’m as selfish as the next dwarf, and this is easy money, but I can’t keep watching this. Firecracker, come here, you’re going to learn how to play properly.” They make a spot for Felicity next to Varric, and she watches over his shoulder as he explains everything. They go over what all the cards mean, how much they are all worth, and what wins hands. Then he briefly mentions some of the ways people can try and cheat. In the end, she thinks it isn’t that different from poker, something she was terrible at back home. 

“Alright, let me teach you a game. I need you to get a bunch of spoons from the packs; I’m going to grab some _actual_ playing cards.” Varric is confused but wanders their small camp gathering what utensils he could, Felicity rushing into the tent she and Solas would share. One the flap is closed again, she focuses her magic, thinking of a plain deck of cards, the usual spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts. When one deck appears in her hand, each card faintly shimmering with her magic, she makes another just in case. There weren’t too many people here, so one deck should suffice, but better safe than sorry.

“What are they for?” Solas asks, nodding to the spoons piled on the crate. He’d wandered over when Felicity told him she wanted to show him something, Acacia following suit and joining them as well. She, like Felicity, was never very good at wicked grace. 

“I don’t know, Chuckles, but she seemed awfully excited about it.” 

“Alright, guys, it’s time to play spoons!” They all sit quietly, listening to her explain the rules, not that there were many. They would each have four cards from her strange deck, and pass the rest of the deck around. They needed four of a kind to grab a spoon, and after that, everyone had to try and get one. There was one less spoon than players, so whoever didn’t get a spoon was taken out of the next round, and one more spoon was removed before they started the next round. 

It started out slow, everyone taking a minute to get used to Felicity’s deck, a sight different from the playing cards they were used to. But it was simple enough that soon the cards we passed quickly. Varric was first to get four of a kind, grabbing a spoon before getting shocked by how quickly Felicity drops her cards and grabs a spoon. The rest followed suit; only Bull left without a spoon. Felicity’s laughter was infectious, and soon they had the next hand going, everyone joking back and forth.

When the last of the three’s finally came into her hand, Felicity grins victoriously, ready to stealth herself a spoon and see if she could get the others to keep on playing. When she looks in the middle, though, one spoon is already missing, Solas smirking when she glances up at him. With her spoon neatly tucked away, she continues to pass cards, only barely containing her laughter when her gaze would land back on the very smug Solas.

“Wait, where did the other spoons go?!” Acacia asks, and in the blink of an eye, the rest are gone, leaving her confused. Both Felicity and Solas hold up their spoons, his eyes glowing as he watches Felicity nearly fall over laughing so hard. 

“You two were sneaky!”

“I actually began the hand with four of the kings.” Solas admits as he places the spoon back in the middle, handing the cards to Varric to shuffle. “I was curious to see how long it would take for everyone to notice. You must have had the same thought, da’len, you were just as sneaky.”

“That’s my favorite thing to do! The mad dash is fun and all, but being sneaky is better. You get to find out who is really paying attention. Come on, guys, let’s go!”

Hand after hand they play, players one by one leaving the game, everyone shocked by just how far Felicity would go to get a spoon. At one point, she nearly vaulted over the crates to grab one after it had been knocked away by Varric trying to grab it. She and Solas soon sit across from each other, one spoon sitting in the middle, four cards in their hand. 

“Are you ready?”

“I was born ready!” The cards start to pass from one to the other, Solas completely quiet as he focuses on the cards quickly coming and going from his hand. Felicity is less quiet, joking with the others, laughing so hard she nearly falls off her chair again when Bull starts cracking jokes. It may appear like she’s not paying that much attention, but she keeps track of the cards she is handed from Solas, and which one she’s not being given. Not a single seven had passed her way, and they were nearing the end of the deck. She only needed one more ace to win, having kept the seven she’d gotten from the start. It was going to stay there until she got her ace, he couldn’t win without it. Varric is in the middle of reshuffling the cards they’d gone through so they could do it again, when Felicity slaps her hand down on the spoon, the ace of spades finally reaching her. She cackles as she lays her hand down, Solas nodding in understanding when he sees the seven next to all the aces.

“Well played, Felicity.”

“You too! Wanna play again?!” Everyone sits back down, and the next game begins. Their laughter draws other scouts and recruits who look over their shoulders at the strange new game, people eventually switching in and out to join in as the hour’s drag on. Felicity ends up pressed against Solas’ side, having gotten out in the first round of one of the games when everyone had stealthily taken a spoon, and she alone played on. To keep an eye on his hand, she leaned in closer, cheek squished against his shoulder as she watched him efficiently play the game she so loved. Under the guise of a discarded card flying too far, he pulls one of the spoons back before quickly passing the cards again. Two’s fill his hand, though to keep up the ruse, he glances at every card that he passes, pretending to shift them as if he were getting helpful cards. 

“Not again!” Acacia snatches a spoon up loudly when she notices one is already missing, everyone else quick to follow. A scout ends up grabbing the same spoon as Bull, the smaller man nearly pissing himself when he looked up to see the Qunari’s one eye locked on him, daring the young man to fight him for the utensil. “Let me guess; it was you again.” The Herald looks to Solas, who calmly holds up his spoon, placing his cards on the table for all to see. “I’m starting to think you are cheating, Solas.”

“Nah, I’ve been watching the whole time. He’s just too sneaky for his own good.”

“My sneaky ways seem to be benefiting me thus far.” He murmurs, glancing down at Felicity out of the corner of his eye, another smirk in place as he shifts to press a little closer to her. Her face quickly heats when she realizes just how closely she is clinging to him, nearly every part of her pressed into him. Solas chuckles when she sputters in response, though he notices she doesn’t move away. “Shall we?” With another starting hand dealt out, they begin, Felicity now too preoccupied with the man she’s so close to, to really focus on the game. Every time he passes a card, every time he reaches for the next, the muscles in his arms shift against her, Felicity’s imagination running away with just what he is hiding under his hobo outfit. That’s something that she needs to stop before she does something she is going to regret.

After a few more hands, Bull and Solas are across the crates from each other, passing cards back and forth smoothly as if they weren’t in the most intense hand of spoons Felicity had ever seen. It ends in the blink of an eye, Solas watching as Bull reaches for the spoon, the Qunari’s cards falling to the table. His own hand snaps out to snatch it away before Bull can even get close. 

“You’re a quick little bastard, aren’t you?” Bull laughs, standing up as the cards are pushed to the center again, everyone sitting down to start again. 

“Indeed. Well played, The Iron Bull.”

“You too. Next time we play, I won’t go easy on you.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Solas stands with a smirk, letting Varric take his spot to try and face off against a group of mainly scouts. Acacia explains the rules quickly for the newcomers as she deals, giving everyone a moment to look at their cards before starting to pass new ones. Solas walks to where Felicity stands watching with a big grin, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Thank you for teaching us how to play your game.”

“Thank you for playing.” She grins up at him, getting lost in the gray-blue depths for a moment. “Not the most civilized or difficult game to play, but it’s fun, and I think that’s what counts.”

“It is. You did this,” Solas nods his head to where people are all gathered laughing and talking, not paying any mind to race, or if they are mage or Templar. This is what she hoped Haven could be like one day, and if not Haven, surely Skyhold. 

“I just taught them a game; they did this all on their own.”

For another hour they play on, everyone relaxing as time passes. But they couldn’t stay up all night; they had jobs to do in the morning, so once shifts were assigned for watch, everyone turned in. Felicity, feeling more relaxed than she has in several days, falls asleep easily next to Solas. It’s too tempting to join her, to pull her close and drift off to the Fade, but Solas still has some work to do tonight.

As carefully as he can, Solas untangles himself from Felicity’s arms and legs, a fond smile tugging at his lips when she immediately pulls his pillow into her arms to hold. After placing another ward over her, Solas shifts forms, but instead of a large wolf, he’s a black fox, slipping out of the back of the tent unnoticed by everyone in camp.

A flicker of his magic acts as a message, and once he’s far enough away, Solas returns to his normal form and waits. It doesn’t take long before he can hear the sound of footsteps in the forest. An acorn comes flying out of the dark, though Solas easily catches it, laughing quietly. He’s distracted by the first, not expecting the second that hits his forehead, but even as he winced, he chuckles.

“I suppose I deserve that.”

“Ser Clatterdash? Really?” The irritated voice comes from a tall elf who walks from the shadows, several more acorns in hand. He mock glares at Solas through his mop of messy brown hair, tossing another acorn for good measure before walking closer.

“You saw how happy she was, could you have denied her?” 

_“Ser. Clatterdash.”_

“I have heard worse, trust me. Besides, that was only your formal title.” Solas snickers again, dodging out of the way as another acorn comes flying. “At least she asked for your real name, Panelan, she could have just used her first choice instead.”

“Fair enough. Her magic was… unexpected.”

“You should get used to it, nothing about her is as expected, or typical, or normal. She is extraordinary.” 

“You know, I never thought I’d see the day. The mighty Fen’Harel, Lord of Tricksters, He Who Hunts Alone- smitten.”

“Felicity-”

“You do not need to explain yourself to me, my friend.” Panelan’s smile shifts from teasing to genuinely happy. It had been far too long since he’d seen Solas like this. He, Solas, and several others that Solas trusted had fallen into the Uthenera along with him when they helped him create the Veil, offering up their magic for him to use alongside his own. They’d woken around the same time, some a few years before, some having still yet to awaken. But Panelan was one of the few friends Solas had before, during, and now after the Evanuris. It made him truly happy to see Solas with light in his eyes, a smile on his face. He’d lost much, they all had, and Solas put the guilt for that on his shoulders alone. 

“Is there any news from our agents in Redcliffe?”

“Tevinter mages are there, a magister Alexius leading them. Undoubtedly, they are part of the Venatori, though what Corypheus would want with a group of largely untrained mages is beyond me.”

“The Arl?”

“Arl Teagan was thrown from the castle and headed to Denerim, no doubt to call upon the King and Queen. That was two weeks ago, I imagine Ferelden's forces are close to Redcliffe, if not already there.”

“This is going to be messy.”

“Yes, undoubtedly. But the Herald seems well suited to this. She draws people together. She and your Felicity both.”

“She is not mine-”

“The others might not notice your spirits all tangle, but I can.” Panelan laughs when Solas cheeks tint. Truly, Felicity was a wonder to bring about such reactions from his stoic friend. “She’s yours as much as you are hers.”

“I should not-”

“To hell with what you should and shouldn’t do. You’ve been denied happiness and peace since the moment the Evanuris took you. This world owes you a little bit of light after all you’ve been through.” Solas sighs, shaking his head, unbelieving that he deserved anything that Felicity gave him, but still, he would take it. He was greedy, selfish, and Panelan was right, she was his, and he was hers. 

“Make sure our agents know not to interfere with the Inquisition too much in Redcliffe.”

“They know, but I will remind them. You should get back; it’s almost time for your watch.” Solas nods, throwing the acorn he’d caught back at Panelan who chuckles, giving Solas his customary mock bow before shifting back into a hart. He knew Solas hated it when people bowed to him, that feeling hadn’t changed over his millennia of sleep. Solas just rolled his eyes, returning to a fox and making his way back to camp. Panelan was a good man, a good warrior, but more than that, he was a good friend. One of the few true friends Solas had.

One day he hoped he could properly introduce Felicity to him, though he imagines she will be embarrassed if she found out. Solas lays down next to Felicity, feigning sleep just in time for Acacia to poke her head in and ‘wake’ him up.


	15. Chapter 15

Solas gently wakes Felicity up in the morning, unsurprised at her sprawled out position across both bedrolls. She changes with her eyes barely open, throwing on whatever clothes her hands touched first, uncaring whether it matched or not. Solas ushers her out so she can eat with the others before they leave while he packs up. The brisk morning air greets her as she steps out, Felicity frowning as she wraps her arms around herself, peeking open an eye to look for the small fire they had going. 

Dáithí sits on the ground by the fire, leaning back against a log as he picks away at the dry rations he had. Felicity doesn’t think twice as she stumbles over to him, plopping onto the ground next to him and leaning against his shoulder. He freezes for only a moment before shifting a little to try and make her more comfortable.

“Trouble sleeping?”

“Just weird dreams.”

“You didn’t walk the Fade with Solas?”

“Don’t think so. Just trippy. Felt ominous? I don’t know if that’s really the right word, but it was just weird.” Felicity sighs, a headache already starting at the back of her head and radiating out. “I slept, but it doesn’t feel like, you know?”

“I know. Here, eat something, it’ll help wake you up.” He passes her a piece of the jerky he had, Felicity not even bothering to open her eyes as she brings the food to her mouth to gnaw on. The combination of eating and the cold air wakes Felicity up eventually, and when she knows she can walk without stumbling, she heads off in search of Panelan. He refused to be tied up with the other mounts, though Solas assured them he would be there in the morning when they were ready to leave. 

He’s off a little ways away from the main camp, looking at home in the surrounding forest. His ears flick towards her when she gets close, though he remains where he is resting on the ground.

“Do you like apples? I don’t know if harts eat apples or sugar cubes. To be fair, I don’t know if horses really eat those either, that’s just what’s in all the movies.” Panelan lifts his head, looking to Felicity before leaning over a little, appearing to look for the treats she asked about. “Okay, hold on, I can make some.” Felicity takes a quick glance around to make sure no one was paying any attention to them before focusing her magic, picturing apples in her mind’s eye. 

It takes a moment, but soon enough, she has apples piling up in her arms. A lot of apples. More than what she was trying to make. Panelan starts immediately munching on the ever-growing pile of apples, careful not to bite Felicity on accident. Most of the time, he would shift back to his natural body to eat whatever he could find in the woods, eating the feed they had at the stables if there was nothing else. It had been a while since he had anything as good as fresh apples, even if they were magic apples. 

Felicity’s giggling catches Solas’ attention as he finishes tying up the tent and loading it into the designated cart. When it’s all set, he goes off in search of her, curious as to what she finds so funny. It doesn’t take long to follow the joyful sound back to its source, Felicity standing in the forest with Panelan, the hart chomping away at an armful of apples that Felicity holds. Solas purposefully steps on a fallen branch, the cracking sound causing both Felicity and Panelan to freeze. They slowly turn their gaze to him, Felicity breaking the silence with a tentative giggle.

“This isn’t what it looks like?”

“This is not you spoiling him rotten?”

“No! He deserves a treat, he’s gotten us this far.”

“A treat would be one or two, not fifteen.” Solas cocks a brow as he looks at the six or seven apples she still has. Panelan huffs, glaring at Solas, who meets his gaze for only a moment before throwing his hands in the air. “Alright, I see nothing. But try to limit it, we do not want him eating himself sick.” If a hart could roll its eyes, Panelan just did. 

“Do harts eat sugar cubes?”

“They could,” Solas says slowly, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why?”

“Just curious! Here Panelan, hurry up and eat the apples before he changes his mind!” He doesn’t need to be told twice, returning to munching on apples as Felicity laughs, Solas rolling his eyes with yet another sigh. 

“He is going to get fat under your care,” Solas mutters as he walks up to where Panelan is finishing the last apple. His head snaps up, the hart managing to look both insulted and betrayed, Felicity gasping, moving to cover Panelan’s twitching ears.

“He will not! You can’t just say that to him! How rude!” She turns her eyes from Solas to Panelan, stroking her fingers through the soft fur around his face. “Don’t you listen to him, he’s just a silly old egg! You’re perfect, and I love you just the way you are!” Felicity wraps her arms around his neck, Panelan’s smug eyes sending jealousy burning through Solas. 

“You two are going to be insufferable, aren’t you?”

“Well, if you’re going to be rude to the lovely creature carrying us to and from Redcliffe, then maybe I will be insufferable. Poor Panelan.”

“Poor Panelan indeed.” It’s Solas’ turn to huff, cocking an eyebrow at the pleased hart. “Come, everyone is getting ready to leave.” He pulls her away, wrapping his arm tightly around her waist and casting another glare at the troublemaker following behind them. 

“We’ll make a few stops in the Hinterlands at the various camps to drop off supplies and whatnot, but we should be reaching Redcliffe by this afternoon. Any questions?”

“What about the dragon?” Felicity groans, glaring at the excited Qunari.

“I think we should focus on the mages first. Get that issue solved, and then maybe- _maybe!_ \- on the way back, we can look into the reports of a dragon.”

Felicity can’t quite remember what happened in Redcliffe, only knowing Tevinter was there with bad magic. Dorian would be there. Hopefully, they found him sooner rather than later. She always had done Champions of the Just not In Hushed Whispers because of Cullen, something she was now regretting. 

“Da’len?” Solas quietly questions, leaning down, all traces of irritation gone in the blink of an eye.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Felicity mumbles as she turns to hug him. “It’s bad though if it’s anything like what happened if they side with the Templars, it’s going to be really bad.” Solas just nods, hugging her a little tighter before helping her up onto Panelan. 

“What happens to the Templars?” Felicity stays quiet for a moment, weighing her options, but they would find out soon enough what happened to them. Acacia was determined to get the mages help; those Templars not yet corrupted were on their own. 

“The Lord Seeker, the man we met in Val Royeaux, it’s not him. That was an envy demon wearing his face. Corypheus is corrupting the Templars with the red lyrium; he turns them into monsters. When you sided with the Templars in the game, the envy demon would enter the Herald, trying to learn everything it could so it could be the Herald instead of the Lord Seeker. It’s- it’s not good.” Solas curses quietly in elven, his agents had said Corphyues was trying to get the Templars, but none could get into Therinfal Redoubt to find out how the darkspawn magister would accomplish such a feat. Using the red lyrium on Templars who were already addicted to the substance and the power… they would be a force to be reckoned with if they were corrupted. 

“You could only side with one?”

“There wasn’t time in the game for both,” Is all she says, Solas watching her eyes unfocus as she remembers whatever happened next. Corypheus couldn’t let such a loss stand, he would undoubtedly come for the Inquisition, and it would be bad if Felicity’s reaction was anything to go by. 

There were so many more people in Haven; they would all be caught in the crossfire. So many would die. And not just NPCs. It was going to be people she knew, people she was friends with, people who had lives, families, hopes, and dreams. Some would survive, but not all, and that was unacceptable.

Felicity shakes her head, trying to push away the dark thoughts. 

“Who knows, maybe the game was exaggerating.” 

“Felicity-” 

“Can- can we stop talking about it? Or else I’m going to cry.”

“Of course.” Solas drops the subject along with a quick kiss to the top of her head. “Have you ever considered braiding your hair?”

“I can’t braid to save my life. Doesn’t help that my hair is curly.”

“If I may?”

“Oh, go for it.” Panelan follows after the others without the need for directions from Solas, which lets him free up his hands to begin running them through Felicity’s hair. 

The tight golden ringlets fall well past her shoulder, Felicity usually wearing it down or tied up in a messy bun. With a fond smile, Solas pulls a small leaf that had been tangled up, it wasn’t the first time he’d found leaves or twigs in her hair, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Without a brush or comb, the best Solas can do is a loose braid. Once it’s tied with a thin band of leather, he begins to place the little wildflowers she’d been collecting throughout the braid. 

“You’re surprisingly good at doing hair for a bald guy.” Felicity is impressed when she reaches back to feel what he’s done; without even seeing it, she knows it looks better than any of her previous attempts. 

“I was not always bald.” This immediately catches her attention, Felicity turning back to look at him with curious eyes. She’d always wondered but hadn’t wanted to bring it up because it sounded a little rude. But he’d brought it up, so it was fair game now!

“What color was your hair?!” Solas is slightly taken aback by her sudden interest, but answers anyway.

“Red-ish brown.”

“Long or short?”

“Both at various times.”

“Bald by choice or not?” Solas rolls his eyes, pinching her side for good measure. 

“By choice, da’len.” His dry tone has her giggling, Solas feeling suddenly self-conscious as Felicity studies him closer, no doubt trying to imagine what he looked like. 

“I think you should try letting it grow out.”

“Why?”

“I’m curious! Plus, it just… feels like it would be right.” Felicity trails off as she thinks, her brow furrowing for a moment. Why does it feel right to see him with hair? Short on the back and sides, longer on top, maybe braided back. What is she forgetting? Again she shakes the thought away, her smile returning as she meets his gaze. “I like how you look now; I truly am just curious. And just because I am curious, doesn’t mean you have to, the choice is yours. I’ll be happy either way.” With a little finagling, she twists around a little further, leaning up to kiss his forehead before turning back to the front. 

“I will think about it,” Solas says after clearing his throat. Upon waking, he’d gotten rid of his hair to disguise himself, not that anyone living remembered what Fen’Harel looked like thousands of years ago. He didn’t mind being bald, it certainly required less care this way, but he did miss his hair from time to time. It wouldn’t be hard, he’d just stop the spell currently keeping his hair from growing.

“Really, it’s okay if you don’t want to. Thank you for braiding my hair, it looks great!”

“You cannot see it, Felicity.”

“I just know.” She laughs, her fingers running through Panelan’s fur. “Solas, while we’re here at the Crossroads, or maybe Redcliffe, can you help me find some proper armor? This is alright, but if I’m going to be fighting, I’d like something a little better. I think I’ve saved up enough.”

“Of course. Did you want mage robes or something more like Dáithí’s armor? A little more protective, but maybe not as heavy.”

“Yeah, like light armor with maybe a longer coat we could enchant? I don’t really know how these things work.” Felicity relaxes against him, closing her eyes, lulled by the steady pace and quiet atmosphere. 

“I’m sure we will be able to find something suitable.” Solas’ reply is almost a whisper, a little urging from his spirit the only push she needs to drift off to sleep. “Not a word.” This time his words are a whisper, one only Panelan could hear, and the only reply Solas gets is a soft huff. 

~~~~~

The Hinterlands is thankfully relatively quiet beyond a few close encounters with bears. Felicity remains asleep the entire time, Panelan taking extra care not to jostle the pair as they travel. When they do finally make it to the Crossroads, Dáithí helps the half-awake Felicity down from the horse. He was glad she could rest, but still worried about her evidently strange dreams. The conversation he’d had with Solas about it was short as Solas was studying the Fade last night, leaving Felicity to her own devices with some wards set up for protection. Solas would pay extra attention tonight, but he also didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention from either other mages or spirits and demons, as there would undoubtedly be many in the Fade so close to this much conflict. 

“Damn, did I sleep the whole way?” She asks with a yawn as Dáithí helps her keep her balance, Felicity always waking up slowly. 

“You did. It’s for the best; everyone needs to be prepared for Redcliffe.” Solas nods in agreement as he pulls a flask of water from his pack, passing it to Felicity. “The Herald didn’t want to overwhelm the mages; she figured we’d do the last leg of the journey on foot. It should only take a few hours to get to Redcliffe from here.”

“I don’t wanna abandon Panelan.” She turns to the hart, who playfully nudges her with his head, only barely managing to keep from impaling the men near her. “Don’t let any bad men run off with you.” Felicity says with such a serious tone, Solas can’t help but roll his eyes.

“I would like to see them try. He will be fine, _‘ma fenorian._ Come, Acacia is running a few quick errands, we are going to meet her by the tunnel. I did not see any merchants selling armor, but maybe while we walk, we will spot something.” With a final nod to Panelan, Solas rests a hand between Felicity’s shoulder blades, guiding her as she is still a little out of it. “Have you always been so slow to wake?”

“Yep. Used to drive my mom crazy because she was the exact opposite. Percy was a happy middle ground, often acting as the voice of reason.”

“Your family is not with the Inquisition.” It wasn’t a question, but Felicity could see the curiosity in Dáithí’s eyes. Felicity answers before Solas can tell the man off, a sad smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. 

“No, they’ve both passed on. Percy almost ten years ago, Mom three years after that. It was just me left.”

“No father?”

“No, I never knew my dad. I used to pester my mom about it, and once I was older, she told me he was a lying, cheating bastard, but she couldn’t ever bring herself to regret being with him because she got me out of it. Percy’s dad was in the army; he died when Percy was just a little baby.” Dáithí was curious as to what elves had an army, or if it was another human/elf mix, but kept the questions to himself. He reached out, squeezing her shoulder gently.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s been years; it doesn’t hurt like it used to. I miss them, but I’m sure they’re in a better place. I think they’d be proud of me, of what I’m doing here, what everyone is doing.”

“I don’t see how they couldn’t be.” 

Silence follows as they continue to walk, all of them taking a moment to remember all those they lost along the way. 

There aren’t any merchants offering armor, at least none that Felicity could wear and still walk in. There are several suits of plate armor, some looking rather nice, but just looking at it seemed to weigh her down, so Felicity had to pass on it. 

“Alright, who’s ready for some bandits?” Bull calls with a feral grin, rolling his eye when a nearby soldier quietly corrects him. “Okay, some not-bandits.” 

“Um, there are not-bandits again?” Felicity had thought they’d gotten rid of them the last time they came through. That being said, it wasn’t too surprising that more bandits would rise with the others gone. 

“More people probably got hired after we cleared out the last ones. Maybe this time we’ll find something to lead back to whoever is funding this.” Varric shrugs as he checks Bianca over, ensuring everything is in working condition. Felicity doesn’t know why he bothers; everyone knows he takes better care of that crossbow than he does himself. 

“Great…” 

“We can handle a few not-bandits, you can handle them.” Felicity nods at Dáithí’s words, knowing they were very true, but still, she dreaded fighting. As of right now, she hadn’t had to fight more than the wayward demon or darkspawn. These would be living, breathing humans. People with lives and families. She didn’t know if she could take their life, but on the other hand, she knew if she didn’t, they would take hers.

“Felicity-”

“I’ll be okay.” She cuts off Solas, faking a smile as she looks up to him.

She wouldn’t be okay, that much was obvious. Taking a life changed everyone, even if people didn’t want to admit it. And for one as bright and innocent as Felicity, Solas knew it wouldn’t be an easy thing to work through.

“Let’s go get us some mages!” Acacia says as she walks up, tucking away some letters into her pack.

“I hardly think we need more mages in our merry little band, but okay,” Varric replies with a teasing grin, motioning for her to lead the way. There is a great deal of joking between everyone as they walk, everyone noticing that Felicity remains mostly silent, where she would usually be in the thick of it giggling up a storm. 

“What if I can’t do it?” Her quiet voice gets lost in the noise around them, only Solas catching the words.

“Then you learn for the next time. You learn what to expect, and you learn how to combat that hesitation.”

“What if I don’t get a next time? I freeze up, and I’ll die.”

“No, you will not. It is not as if we will be throwing you at the bandits and leaving you to fend for yourself. Everyone will be there, Dáithí will be there. _I_ will be there. We all look out for each other, that includes you. Especially you. Because you’re young and not as experienced, they know this, and no one is going to let you die.”

“I don’t want to let you down, either of you. Or make you look bad Dáithí for training an idiot who can’t even fight bandits.”

“You are too hard on yourself, da’ean.” Dáithí moves in front of her, taking hold of her shoulders and waiting until she meets his gaze to continue. The elvish endearment surprises Solas, but Felicity is too preoccupied trying not to cry to notice. “You will be fine, and nothing you do could let me down, because you always stand back up. That’s all I can ask of you. I don’t care what everyone else thinks of me; it doesn’t matter in the slightest. That’s their problem. I care whether or not you live.”

“I-I can’t use my magic like I- like we do when I train and I-” 

“Felicity Maria Pennel.” Dáithí’s stern tone immediately shocks Felicity’s out of her downward spiral, wide eyes flickering toward him. “You will be fine. You can do this; I know you can.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Felicity nods, and Dáithí cracks a small smile. “Good. If you feel like you can’t or something happens, throw up a wall, and Solas or I will get to you.” 

“Thank you.” She smiles back at him, taking Solas’ hand when he holds it out. Felicity still doesn’t feel quite steady, but she wasn’t hyperventilating any more, so that was a plus. “Okay, let’s go before I lose whatever nerves I’ve got.” It doesn’t take long to catch up to the others, no one drawing any attention as they fall back into step behind them. “I want to learn how to carve wood.”

“Where did this come from?”

“I want to make my own staff. Since I don’t really need it to cast, it doesn’t have to be special or anything. Cedar. Is cedar a good wood from that kind of thing? That’s what my wand would have been in Harry Potter. With a unicorn hair core. Surprisingly swishy flexibility. Can’t remember exactly how long, but still, I thought it would be neat if it could be close.”

“We’ll see what we can do once we’re back in Haven.”

“Okay, thanks!” Felicity smiles over to Dáithí before getting drawn into a story Varric was telling about Hawke. Distraction would be best right now; overthinking was only going to make things worse in the long run. 

Whatever the reason was, no bandits- true or otherwise- appear before the large group, something Felicity would be eternally grateful for. It takes a little longer to get to Redcliffe, Acacia stopping to gather every bit of elfroot and embrium that they stumbled upon. 

“You never know when you might need it.” She says every time Varric starts to give her grief for her herbalist habits. Only Felicity knew they would need everything they could get given the shit storm that was coming their way. “Just when you think you have enough, you-” Acacia’s head snaps up and to the side, eyes narrowing as she feels the Anchor start to crackle. “There’s a rift up ahead, a big one. Get ready.”

All traces of teasing laughter are gone in an instant; everyone reaching for weapons as they slowly walk closer to where the gate to Redcliffe stands closed. Hanging suspended in the air is the telltale twists of green magic, demons already clawing their way out one after another. It looked rather new, so that was good at least, the few soldiers fighting the demons not looking as worn out as they could have if they’d been facing this for days or weeks. 

“Felicity.” She turns to look at Dáithí, who stands at the ready with his staff. Felicity tightens her grip on her own and gives him a firm nod. Demons were scary as all hell, but Felicity could handle that, she could fight them without having a mental breakdown. 

“Yeah, let’s go.” They take a deep breath before they both rush forward. It was time to show everyone just how much she’d grown since the last time she traveled with them. No one expects them to rush the demons; everyone hesitating for just a moment before running after them. 

She and Dáithí work together like a well-oiled machine. Felicity, easily the more killable looking target, draws the attention of the various shades and wraiths, Dáithí appearing out of nowhere to strike killing blows. Those who don’t succumb to the devastating attacks Dáithí levels their way end up with Felicity’s staff covered in crackling lightning aimed at their heads. They work well together when there is space to move between targets, it’s when everything gets clustered up that things get hard.

Bull is next to join the fight, his axe slamming into shades with reckless abandon. It’s a little concerning how enjoyable he finds this, but Felicity isn’t one to judge. As the battle draws on, more and more demons make their way through the Rift, sensing the conflict on the other side. That’s one thing Felicity missed from the games. Rifts didn’t have waves; there was no time for a healing potion and a breather in between. It was just a shit ton of demons all the damn time until Acacia could close it. 

As per usual, they end up forming a ring around Acacia so she can focus on closing the Rift because it does take a little bit to create the connection. But unlike the previous times, Felicity isn’t hiding. She stands between Solas and Dáithí, doing her part to keep the shades back. 

A soft grunt from the man on her left draws Felicity’s attention, incinerating the demon in front of her before turning to the side. A chunk of ice as big as her arm has lodged itself in Solas’ abdomen, his barrier having just fallen. Her blood runs cold as she watches him stumble, barely holding himself up as he leans against his staff. 

Felicity looks in the direction the attack came from, ignoring the shouts from the others who are trying to pull Solas into the middle but still keep the demons out. There, almost hidden behind a tree near the massive wall, is a despair demon hunched over, ice swirling around it. Felicity can feel it’s eyes on her, and she swears she can see it’s gruesome face twist into a smile. 

Her eyes flash with magic, glowing a pearlescent white as she glares at the demon, her lips pressed into a thin line to keep herself from screaming. A pillar of white gold flames slams down into the demon, disintegrating it in an instant but leaving everything around it untouched. With it gone, Felicity turns back to Solas who’s laying back on the ground gritting his teeth as he tries to pull the chunk of ice out on his own. 

“I swear, _you_ are going to be the death of _me_ , not the other way around,” Felicity mutters, trying to stop her hands from shaking as she yanks out the ice, replacing it with a bright ball of healing magic, the wound sealing shortly thereafter. 

“I beg to differ.” Solas grunts as he throws up an arm, a blast of fire driving back the demon that had been poised to strike at her back. 

Every time Acacia gets close to closing the Rift, a demon will break through, or another member of the party will get injured, causing her to break the connection to try and help. 

“Don’t die,” Felicity says with a stern expression, jabbing a finger threateningly into his chest before scrambling to get up. Fifteen or so demons are currently fighting or pulling themselves up after having crawled from the Rift. “Get ready Acacia!” Felicity pushes past everyone, a blast of energy forcing the demons back a step. In that short moment, Felicity creates a barrier, an entire wall between them and the demons. 

She’d been practicing her barrier with Solas and Dáithí, trying to create one that blocks either physical or magical attacks as those require a lot less concentration and magic. But for this, she needs both, so she pours every ounce of power she has into the giant barrier. Acacia is only stunned for a moment before reaching out again, the mark flaring as it connects with the Rift hanging above them, just over the edge of the barrier. 

Demons crash into the wall, screaming and clawing and slamming against it, Felicity doing her best to ignore it all and just focus on keeping it up. An uncomfortable feeling scrapes down her spine, and she glances over her shoulder, praying there weren’t more demons behind them. Instead of demons, though, she met with all her friends moving in slow motion, including Acacia who’s mark is even affected. 

“Guys?! Are you okay?” Slowly they turn to look at her, but she doesn’t have time to wait around for an answer; the barrier needs her attention now more than ever. “Fuck...!” 

This was bad.

Really, really bad. 

She couldn’t keep the magic going much longer, she’d learned that from training with Dáithí and Solas. Short bursts of magic were easy, she could go nuts, but spells that required her to continuously drain her mana wreaked havoc on her physical body as it was still unused to channeling such power. It didn’t help that she didn’t have the mana reserves like Solas and Acacia. It recovers fast, but it doesn’t do that until she stops using it, which means she would need to drop the barrier and wait. 

Something has to give, so with another bitter curse, she lets go of the barrier, allowing it to decay as she turns back to the others. With time for only a single breath, Felicity starts casting again, trying a spell she has never before attempted, dispel. 

Oh, how she hoped whatever was affecting them was magical and could be dispelled. 

It takes a moment to take effect, but when their shouts reach her ears when they start moving like normal, Felicity lets out a happy cry. 

“Close it!” Felicity screams, whipping her staff around to crack into the face of the nearest demon. Everyone surges forward again, the fight a little easier now that they were only focusing on one front. Solas is back on his feet, casting his barriers over the various party members, claws, and magic bouncing off of the light blue energy. Felicity was going to ask him about that later. It would be handy to be able to create a steady barrier and just let it go. It would decay, but it took longer to break down than hers did. 

It would be a conversation for another time, though.

When the Rift finally closes, Felicity feels such a wave of relief it sends her to her knees. It may also have been exhaustion that sent her down. She didn’t really care either way. The last of the demons, now well and truly cut off from the Fade, are quickly dealt with.

“What the fuck, guys?” Felicity asks, her voice shaking as she tries to catch her breath. She needed to get into better shape if this was how fights were going to be. 

“What happened? Rifts have never done _that_ before!” Acacia spits, shaking out her hand to try and get the pins and needles to go away. 

Soldiers from the other side of the gate slowly open it, asking questions that no one has answers to, but what really gets everyone’s attention is a young mage walking out with the worst news possible. 

They weren’t expecting Acacia or the Inquisition, but more than that, it seemed that the mage rebellion had given themselves over to Tevinter. 

Because, why not, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
> 'ma fenorian - my little precious/ my darling  
> da'ean - little bird


	16. Chapter 16

Never has Felicity- or any of them for that matter- seen Acacia so mad before. When the young mage Lyssas told them that Fiona had already allied the mages with Tevinter, everyone was surprised Acacia didn’t scream. Her tone was perfectly even, which was scarier because those who knew her knew she was seething. 

Evidently, Fiona and this Magister would be meeting them at the inn. Lysas offered to show them the way, Varric stepping in because they could all see what little patience Acacia had was quickly running out. They had some errands to run, some shopping to do, not to mention, they all needed a minute to clean themselves up. Bull- covered head to toe in demon blood and remains- takes a step forward when they reach the last item on their list, giving the poor mage a feral grin.

“Of course! I’ll- I’ll let them know your coming!” His voice squeaks, Felicity feeling bad for the poor guy. This whole mess wasn’t his fault; he was just the messenger. 

As the group entered Redcliffe, they’re shocked to see how many people were very clearly from Tevinter, and that was just counting the ones who stood out because of their clothing. No doubt, there were many more wearing more Ferelden style clothes hiding in the crowds. 

People stare as they make their way through the village, Felicity growing more and more nervous with each passing second. She could feel each and every gaze on her; some were harmless, just curious about the Herald and her entourage. Others were angry, furious that the Inquisition made it into Redcliffe. Others still felt… slimy, oily, gross, _wrong_. It hung in the air around them, creating an aura that Felicity recoiled from every time they got close to one. It wasn’t just the Venatori, though many of them looked at Felicity and Acacia and Solas as if they were nothing but interesting cattle. It was also some of the regular townsfolk and merchants that had the same darkness around them.

After a few hours of wandering around, Acacia determined to piss off the Magister as much as possible before showing up, they all headed towards the inn. Most of the gore had been cleaned off, even Bull washed up a little, and one by one, they walked into the inn. 

Felicity wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but it wasn’t to see the large room absolutely devoid of any and all life. Surely this couldn’t bode well. She takes a step closer to Solas, Dáithí appearing at her other side as, from a back door, enters the Magister, followed by many guards and finally Fiona. 

Solas is worried that Acacia will outright attack the pompous man when he opens his mouth and immediately starts spouting bullshit. But to his, and everyone else’s, surprise she remains completely calm, at least on the surface, though her smiles are far from genuine, not unlike Alexius’ own smile.

Their meeting is cut short as Felix stumbles, though they are invited to the castle to discuss the remaining details, Alexius quickly taking his son away for treatment. Once they are gone, people begin to come into the inn again, and as the bubble of noise starts to rise, Acacia drops the mask of casual indifference. 

She heads off to the church with Bull, Varric, and Cassandra, everyone else staying behind to get some rooms set up for them. Felicity sits quietly in the corner of the inn while everyone makes themselves busy, trying to think of anything about what would happen if they sided with the mages. Clearly, Dorian would play a part in whatever it was, and there is something about time magic that keeps poking her brain, but nothing more than that little nudge. 

“Send a message back to Cullen and the others, let them know we aren’t leaving here with any of the Magister or his forces still remaining. We will need-” Felicity looks up, drawn from her ponderings at Acacia’s irritated voice, the small woman somehow angrier than she was before. “There is no debate about this; we are not leaving! If you don’t want to be here, you are free to leave. Go back to Orlais or the Free Marches or Seheron for all I care! I don’t have time for this! Run back to Haven; we have to get this going-”

“I can send a message to them right now. W-with magic. Then you don’t have to wait.” Felicity timidly says, physically flinching back when all eyes snap to her. “I’ve done it before, with Dáithí, t-that night. Th-That’s how he knew to c-come.”

“And what spell is that?” Cassandra pins her with an intense look, eyes cold as steel and twice as hard. They had treated Felicity poorly for her magic but realizing that didn’t mean she trusted the strange elven mage who seemed to have more power than any of them could fathom.

“I-I- well, it’s not- I just-”

“It doesn’t matter, do it. Tell them everything. About the mages, the Magister, the cult. And tell them to send what help they can, we are going to get this Alexius and his men from Ferelden if it’s the last thing we do.”

Acacia stomps out to the back, heading for the woods to let off some steam. Felicity winces as the door slams behind her, scooching her chair back into the corner before focusing on her magic. But on the other side of her closed eyes, she knows everyone is watching her, waiting for this new magic to be shown to them. The anxiety makes sure all her magic just swirls uselessly within her, as unsteady as her hands.

“I can’t do it if you all keep staring…” 

“We just want to see this magic you claim to possess.”

“You won’t see anything; I do it all in my head.”

“You can see how we would have a hard time taking your word for it. Such magic does not exist. We should just send messengers; we can’t wait-”

“Just because you have not learned of it in your narrow studies from the Chantry does not mean it is not true. I have seen such spells in the Fade used back in the time of the ancient elves, such communication much faster than messengers with notes.” Even Solas standing up for her doesn’t quiet the anxiety, Felicity nervously biting her lip and tapping her foot, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand like she’d seen Cullen do so many times in the game and here in the real Thedas.

Felicity latches onto that, picturing Cullen’s face in her mind, hearing his voice, smelling the herbal scent that always seems to faintly linger on him. He has to be told, they all do, there is a lot of work to do and not much time to do if Acacia’s restlessness had anything to say about it.

She’s torn between crying and shouting as everyone in the room starts to argue with each other. Bull and Varric get into a fight about Tevinter’s presence here, which then morphs into an argument about the Qun and Qunari who did the same kind of invasion back in Kirkwall. Solas and Cassandra are at each other’s throats regarding magic and the Fade, though Cassandra quickly shifts her attention to Blackwall. He believes the mages deserve a second chance, that everyone does. But the Seeker is now leaning towards shipping them all back into a circle after they aligned themselves with Tevninter in a heartbeat.

Just when she thinks she has the spell in her grasp, an undignified squawk from Varric in reaction to Cassandra and Blackwall getting a little more physically involved in their fight breaks her concentration. Felicity stands up with a fierce scowl, her chair falling back to loudly crash against the floor. Everyone falls silent as Felicity walks over to the nearest wall to her, snapping her fingers as angry magic flares up, her fury focusing it into a spell.

A plain wooden door appears in the wall; everyone stunned as they watch her open it and step through, slamming it loudly behind her for good measure. Her demiplane is empty, just a simple room, but she’s glad for the silence from the bickering people she’d left behind. It had always been one of the favorite spells her warlock had, always finding a use for it. Maybe she should have tried making one she’d visited as a player, but she didn’t have time to try and picture it. 

On the other side of the demiplane, everyone is still silent, eyes wide on the door. It shouldn’t have been possible for Felicity to do that much they knew, and just how she managed to magic into being an entire room they were all unsure of. Blackwall moves to the window, poking his head outside to see if her addition added the space on the outside, but there is nothing there but smooth, weathered wood. 

“Makers balls, that’s insane. She went in, I- we all- saw, but there was nothing there.”

“That is not possible-”

“Do you have any other words in your vocabulary? Or is that all you can say? Clearly, it is possible. Felicity has just done it.”

“You taught her this?”

“No, I did not. And even if I had, it wouldn’t matter. The Herald asked for her to help, and we all kept her from doing so. We had best hope she gets her message to them in time, or we will be going into Redcliffe castle without back up to face against a magister and his cult. Since I’m sure no one has anything else productive to add, I’d ask that you all leave for your own rooms, I’ll wait for Felicity to finish and for Acacia to return.” Solas rights the chair Felicity had knocked over in her haste to leave, everyone heading out of the room, Bull last to head for the door.

“This isn’t exactly what I meant when I said you guys needed to lay low.”

“It is not what I had planned for either, The Iron Bull, but here we are regardless.”

“It’s a neat trick though, gotta give her that.” Solas gives a wordless hum in agreement, looking back to the door with mixed feelings. There was much of her magic that he was familiar with from an age long past, but so much of it that was new, even for him. Amazing feats of imagination and creativity, the likes of which he’d wished he’d thought of back when he could have done such spells. “Make sure she’s ready for this. I doubt it’s going to be pretty.” With one last nod, Bull leaves the room, the door quietly shutting behind him. 

“I’ll keep watch at the door.” Dáithí quietly slips out of the room as well, just as frustrated as Solas was at everyone’s treatment of Felicity. She was strange, her magic more so, but she was also kind. She was good, and he hoped people saw that sooner rather than later because even the best of people had breaking points. 

Solas sets up wards to keep prying eyes and ears from listening in but remains in the chair. He’d been one of the people fighting when he should have been helping Felicity, something he would apologize for, but she needed her quiet moment. 

_“Cullen, sorry for interrupting whatever you are doing. The mages have aligned with Teventier, a magister named Alexius. The Magister is with some cult that is desperate for Acacia, not that we know why. Acacia is going to be meeting with them to ‘secure help,’ but she’s planning on taking them down and kicking them out of Ferelden. We need help to storm Redcliffe castle; the arl has been kicked out. It is entirely under the control of the Magister now… I don’t like it here; this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. You can reply to this message.”_ There was a word limit on the D&D spell, but since she didn’t need to follow those guidelines, she hoped that the whole message got through. Otherwise, it’s going to cut off somewhere around the mention of the cult.

_“Your magic is as... impressive as always. Redcliffe castle has repelled thousands of attacks; we have no hope of taking it. Acacia going in to meet with them is a suicide mission! You cannot allow her to go. I will send men right away, but even going as fast as they can, it will be at least seven hours before they reach you. I am unsure if you can respond to this message, but I hope you do.”_

Felicity hangs her head, having expected such an answer. This wasn’t going to be pretty, of that she was sure, but it would be worse if they didn’t have any back up at all. The Herald and the others were all impressive in their own rights, but she’s not sure they can hold their own against magisters and cults from Tevinter hell-bent on killing the Herald.

_“I’m sorry, but I don’t think there will be any stopping Acacia. We might be able to stall until the men get here, but she is distraught that they are here with the mages. Also, something is weird with the rifts here, tell your men to be careful. Time is all messed up, some areas going faster, some slower. The Teventier mage Dorian, who alerted us to Alexius’ plans, said that he used dangerous time magic to reach the mages before we got there. You can reply to this message.”_

_“Maker’s breath, time magic? I don’t think I could have thought of something worse. The men are leaving, keep Acacia there until they arrive. If you have any hope for survival, you must not go alone. I’ll let the rest of the advisors know of the development, if you could use your magic to check back in with us here in a few hours, that would be ideal.”_

_“I’ll try to keep her here, Cullen, really I will. Talk to you in a little bit.”_

With her last message off and running, Felicity lets her head fall into her hands, doing her best not to let the tears gathering in her eyes fall. If she could just _remember_ what was going to happen, she could help, but there is still nothing coming to her. It was undoubtedly something to do with the time magic, maybe sending Alexius back from when he came? Perhaps it was sending him forward? Pulling someone back? The more she thought, the more frustrated and frazzled she got. 

A soft knock on the door catches her attention, though she ignores it. A few minutes later, they knock again, and Felicity lashes out.

“What?!” A wave of magic sends the door flying open, a startled Solas standing there, having stepped out of the way just in time to avoid being hit by the door. 

“May I come in?”

“Why, so you can argue some more?” As soon as the words leave her mouth, she regrets them. He, and everyone else, were wound up as tightly as she and Acacia were, she can hardly blame them for looking for some way to let some of the tension out. 

“No, I only wished to talk.” His voice, unlike hers, is steady and quiet, tone as soft as his eyes as he looks into where she is huddled on the floor of her miracle room.

“Well maybe I don’t want to talk! Maybe I want to be alone! Maybe I’m tired of all this bullshit!” She shouts, hating herself more and more with each angry word leaving her mouth. “Maybe I’m sick of hiding, sick of being afraid for my life, sick of worrying if someone is going to shiv me in the night because I have pointed ears! Sick of being fucking scared all the time because you all are real and can die, and I don’t want to lose you! **_Dammit!!_ **” Felicity screams, shouting at Solas for all she’s worth like the dam holding all her fears and worries back is suddenly broken. “I don’t want to scream at you! Why am I screaming at you!? I don’t know… god, I don’t know anything anymore.” Her tears finally overflow, heavy sobs the only sound in the small room. She crumbles in on herself like a puppet with its strings cut, arms wrapping around herself to try and hold it all together.

“The Fade is warped here, bleeding into the area stronger than it normally does. Your emotions, tied now to the Fade since your arrival, are stronger here. It is not your fault.”

“Don’t be understanding, I’m being a b-bitch and yelling at you! You should be mad.”

“No, I am not mad, nor do I wish to be. I would like to hold you, though.” That only makes her cry harder, Solas still waiting for permission to enter the room, breathing a sigh of relief when she finally nods her head. In an instant, he is there on the floor with her, pulling her into his arms, gently rocking her back and forth as she cries against him, hands latching onto his sweater with a death grip. 

“I’m sorry!” Felicity wails into his chest, Solas quietly shaking his head and pressing a soft kiss to the top of hers. “I-I didn’t- you shouldn’t- it all just-”

“Shh, da’len, I know. I am sorry as well, none of us handled it like we ought to.”

“I’m so f-fucking scared!”

“I know that, as well. But believe me when I say I will do everything in my power to make sure you are safe, that nothing happens to you. I won’t lose you either.” Felicity loses it at the mention of losing people, trying to erase the idea from her mind even as it pulls up every scenario it can. Every instance of how they could be killed. 

Eventually, Solas stands, still holding Felicity, and walks them from her little magic room over to one of the beds. He sits down, slowly leaning back until he is stretched out on the mattress, Felicity following suit. Solas lies on his back, one arm still wrapped around her, and the other holding one of her hands against his chest. She curls onto her side, tangling her legs with his as she continues to cry into his shoulder wordlessly.

Once she can manage to speak again, she tells him what Cullen had said in his message, Solas agreeing with the ex-Templar. If they went in without any sort of back up, there was a good chance they wouldn’t be coming back out. She tells him that Dorian truly is here to help the Inquisition, to offer what help he can when it comes to the Breach and this fanatical Tevninter cult.

It is another hour before she calms down completely, silently snuggled into Solas’ side as both refuse to move an inch. Even when Acacia comes storming back into the room, they stay there, quietly informing her of the Advisors response. 

“I will wait for the men, but no longer. Every moment they remain is another moment for their slavers to take more of us. I’ll go tell the others the plan, we’ll head to Redcliffe Castle in the morning with what men Dorian can sneak in past Alexius’ magic.” Acacia leaves as quickly as she had come, leaving Solas and Felicity to think quietly on the bed.

“Do you need to check in with Cullen again?”

“Yeah, I do.”

~~~~~

“Is that Tevinter mage still here? Dorian?” Felicity, who has been sending messages for hours now, finally sits at the table slumped over her evening meal. Her cheek rests on the table, eyes level with a plate full of food that tasted like sawdust.

“I believe he is, yes. Do you need to speak with him?”

“I just wanted to say hi.” Her voice softens at her request, now that she’d said the words aloud they sounded foolish. Childish. Ridiculous, given everything going on right now in Redcliffe. 

“If you would like, we can look for someone selling armor and see if he is still with the others?” Felicity nods, pushing herself up from the table with a sigh. She is quick to hug Solas as they reach the door, pulling back before they open it. Dáithí sits in a chair just outside, turning to look up at them as they quietly walk out. No words are spoken as he falls into step with them, the sound of the busy inn alone enough to set Felicity’s skin crawling. How many of them were Venatori? How many were slavers? How many were working on turning the Tranquil skulls into ocularum? 

Acacia had taken up the far back room in the in, the nearest to the back exit, and sits talking quickly and quietly with Dorian about Alexius and his time magic. Even with the fear twisting her stomach into knots, Felicity can’t help but smile at the flashily dressed mage. He looked better in person- though that held true for everyone- his warm tan skin and inquisitive gray eyes complimenting each other nicely. And of course, there was the matter of his impeccable facial hair; she was so curious how he got it to stay perfect all the time. 

“Any news?” Acacia’s voice, that particular question directed at Felicity, draws her out of her ponderings, her cheeks heating as she quickly tries to school her features. Dorian was already looking at her weirdly, no doubt, because she was grinning like a creeper at him as she stared. 

Why was she so terrible at first impressions?

“No. Well, I mean, just that people are coming. Soldiers and some scouts. Leliana’s people will show the secret way into the castle so that Dorian can sneak the others in. They should be here by morning. Cullen, um, he said… He wanted me to tell you to be careful because he still owes you for the charm.” Felicity hadn’t the foggiest clue what that meant, but she could _hear_ Cullen blushing through the magic message, so it was no doubt something adorable. 

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage.” Dorian smiles handsomely at Felicity, and she is helpless to resist smiling back. “You must be the magical messenger she was telling me about. Dorian of House Pavus, most recently of Minrathous.” He stands with a flourishing bow, the many metal facets of his armor glinting in the low light. “But it seems you already know that.”

“I’m Felicity of… House Pennel?” It comes out as a question; she wasn’t quite sure why she copied him, Felicity supposes she’s still a little out of sorts. But it was too late to take the words back now. She might as well just go with it. “Most recently of the third room on the left upstairs.”

“It’s a pleasure, Lady Felicity. It seems you’ve come with your own entourage.”

“Oh, they’re not my entourage. Um, let’s see,” Felicity turns to start their introductions, surprised to see Solas had wandered a little ways away, passing a note to Varric. So instead she turns to Dáithí, gesturing over at him with both hands in a rather tada fashion, “This is Dáithí of house…?” She turns to look at him, his mouth quirking up into a small smile as he answers. 

“Warren.”

“Of house Warren. He’s the bad-est badass to ever badass. Ever. You’ll see it soon enough, I’m sure. He’s my teacher, and my friend- family.” Felicity quietly corrects, hoping she wasn’t stepping over any boundaries before continuing with her introductions. “And that is Solas, of house- well, he doesn’t really have a last name, what would his house be? Ravenclaw? Oh, or maybe Slytherin? It doesn’t matter right now, I suppose.” 

When Solas hears his name, he looks up, finding Felicity already making his introductions for him. As she mumbles about his house name, his smile grows, waiting to see what else she has to say.

“Solas is the Inquisition’s expert on the Fade and the Veil and spirits. He’s my… mine. He’s mine. You can’t have him.”

“He’s not at all my type, I can assure you.” Dorian says with a laugh, watching as Felicity’s face tints pink, the color stretching all the way up the tips of her pointed ears. Solas radiates smugness as he moves to wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her into his side so he can drop a kiss on her forehead. “If you have a moment, I do have several questions about your spell for sending messages I’d like to ask you.”

 _“Go ahead, you can reply to this message.”_ His jaw drops, eyes going wide as he stares at Felicity. She just smiles in reply, patiently waiting to see if he does, in fact, answer.

_“Fascinating! Is there a range limit? A word limit? Can you only use it so many times before wearing yourself out?”_

_“I don’t know, but I don’t think so. I don’t know, nothing’s been cut off yet. And not so far, no.”_

“Incredible.” Dorian mutters. “There are magical artifacts that can achieve the same results, more or less. Send crystals, for instance, can send voices across great distances, but only to whoever else has the other sending crystal. You can do this with anyone?”

“I have to know them. I can’t send a message to someone I don’t know because I don’t know where my magic is going, you know?” He nods, though his eyes are unfocused as he no doubt tries to dissect the spell, to understand it. Everyone always made fun of Dorian for his flamboyant personality and style, but people always forgot he was a total nerd too. The biggest bookworm save for maybe Solas. 

“Da’len, I believe we still need to find you some proper armor?”

“Right, right.” Felicity takes a step away from Solas, offering her hand out to Dorian, who takes it with a confused look. “It was nice meeting you, Dorian. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“What an odd thing to say.” He muses with a small smile, shaking her hand firmly as he continues to study the strange elven mage that had appeared before him. “Most everyone else is quite displeased that another ‘evil blood mage from Tevinter’ is here.”

“You’re not an evil blood mage from Tevinter, Dorian. We both know that. Bloodstains are so hard to get out, you know.” Felicity giggles as his smile lights up his face, truly genuine for the first time since she’d met him.

“That they are. We will have to talk some more later.” Dorian gives them all a small bow as the three head out, and once the door is shut, his eyes swing back to Acacia, who looks less irritated than she did at the start of this impromptu meeting. “Is she always like that?”

“I’m surprised she didn’t hug you, she’s a big hugger.”

~~~~~

The morning brings with it brisk temperatures, nothing quite like those in Haven, but enough so make Felicity shiver under her cloak. The soldiers had arrived late that night, well, early morning, really. And at the crack of dawn, Acacia woke everyone up; her anger had not diminished in the slightest over the night. 

Solas helps Felicity into some proper armor, more than just her typical coat, though both hope it doesn’t come down to testing to see if it genuinely works. They’d bought it from a merchant near the edge of Redcliffe, Solas then making improvements to it, adding extra bits of leather and metal where the armor and coat needed some reinforcements. In the end, it does end up looking similar to Solas’ own armor, not as flashy and eye-catching as Vivienne’s or even Acacia’s Dalish robes. It was, however, comfortable, and more importantly, it would keep her safe. Solas had done his best to enchant the fabric, weaving wards into the different layers of cloth and leather, and while he isn’t completely satisfied with his rushed work, he knows it’s better than nothing. 

With everyone as prepared as they can be without actually appearing to be going to war, they head off, Dorian leading the soldiers off into the forest to sneak them in a passage Leliana had informed them about via Felicity’s magic. She had desperately hoped that Acacia would wake up in the morning, having cooled down somewhat so that they could head back to Haven to plan in earnest. Instead, she finds herself staring down the large doors at the gate of the castle, the whole place eerily silent as they get closer and closer to the main building. 

“Whatever happens, promise me you won’t run off.”

“Why would I run off? I’m literally on the verge of falling over my legs are so wobbly right now. I’m not going anywhere.” Felicity tries to smile up at Solas, but it is nowhere close to genuine. 

They file into the castle to see the inside is dimly lit, only a handful of candles despite the large rooms within. Venatori mages and guards line the walls, hiding in the corners and quickly surrounding the small group as they walk in, closing the door and cutting off their exit. The sound of the bars and locks falling into place sends an air of finality through the room, Felicity wincing at the sound.

One man standing at the door to what Felicity assumes is the throne room stops them, looking down his nose at not only Acacia but the whole group. His eyes linger on The Iron Bull and Cassandra in particular, both look as formidable as they always do, before turning back to the Herald, not able to keep the disdain completely from his voice. 

“The invitation was for you alone, Mistress Lavellan, the others must remain here.”

“If they aren’t welcome, then I won’t be going either.” Acacia is quick to respond, Felicity almost shouting out her thanks to whatever god was watching over them. For a second, she was worried that she’d have said yes and gone off to get killed. The man’s hand tightens on the scroll he is holding, eyes narrowing, but he still nods, motioning for them to follow.

“Very well, then.” They are led through the final door, all eyes glancing forward to see Alexius making himself quite at home on the Fereldan style throne, looking every bit out of place as Felicity imagined they did.

“Ah, agents of the Inquisition! How nice to see you again, my friends!” He smiles at them, but it doesn’t reach his eye, no emotion had in their last conversation with the Magister, it seemed to be a common theme. “I am pleased that you took up our offer so soon, we do have the mages, after all, and you will need them to close the Breach. Come, let us talk of the details.” 

For a while, they banter back and forth, the room otherwise silent apart from their quips, Acacia giving as good as she gets. They had to stall him until the rest of their men made it in, the Herald sticking with the plan, wishing more than anything to see the defeat and surprise on the Magister’s face when they threw him out.

“You know, I do have a question for you.” Acacia’s grin is downright vicious when she feels the telltale flicker of Dorian’s magic, signaling that they were in. “Would you be able to tell me about these ‘Venatori’ that I keep hearing so much about?” Everything and everyone in the room freezes for a heartbeat as Alexius’ whole face hardens, the Magister leaning forward on the throne.

“Now, where could you have heard that name?” Before a very smug-looking Acacia can reply, Felix takes a step forward, turning to glance at his father with a grim frown.

“I told her.”

“Felix, what have you done?” The anger is clear in Alexius’ face, in his body language, but still, he remains sitting on the throne, hands gripping the armrest tightly as he waits for a response. 

“We made sure to disarm your trap before we came in. I do hope you don’t mind.” Alexius suddenly stands up, everyone taking a step closer to Acacia should he try and attack, but instead his hands remain at his side, eyes intense and locked on the Herald. 

He speaks of how she is a mistake, nothing extraordinary, someone who should have never survived. A thief who stole from The Elder One, from Corypheus, a god who would restore Tevinter to its former glory, make it an empire to rule over all of Thedas. And how he would save Felix, the real reason Alexius was doing all of this. As he talks, growing more and more visibly agitated as he begins to pace, Felicity feels dread welling up within her. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon. 

When Dorian made his appearance known, the Inquisition soldiers quickly did away with the Venatori. Felicity took another step closer to Acacia, a barrier ready to shield them if Alexius tried anything funny. But instead of fire or lightning, an amulet around his neck begins to glow with red magic. Dorian lashes out with a bolt of lightning, trying to stop whatever Alexius was doing, and Felicity reaches for Acacia, to drag her back.

Shouts fill the room, magic the likes of which Felicity has never felt flaring up and rippling over her skin. Darkness greets her, taking Acacia and Dorian as well before vanishing as quickly as it had come. Everyone else is left standing in stunned silence, staring at the scorch marks on the floor. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we have an early chapter, but fair warning it's kind of long. I didn't wanna split it up in the middle though, so sorry, not sorry. :)

All at once, the air leaves Solas’ chest, and he stands there frozen, wide eyes locked onto where Felicity had been just a heartbeat ago. All that remains of her, of Dorian and Acacia, is a black scorch mark on the floor. His eyes flicker up to Alexius’, the man wearing a crazed smile as Venatori start to swarm the room. 

Felicity was gone.

She was taken from him.

Taken right before his very eyes, and he could do nothing to stop it, nothing to bring her back.

The pain in his chest brought Solas to his knees, gasping for air as the room dissolved into chaos. It doesn’t take long before the King and Queen of Ferelden are in the middle of the growing fight, but none of it registers to Solas. He looks up, seeing Alexius dragging Felix away, the young man looking almost as broken up at what his father had done. 

They wouldn’t get away- they _couldn’t_ get away!

The bone-crushing grief is shifted into such fury as Solas had never felt. His whole body burns with it as he lurches to his feet, ancient curses falling from his lips as he runs after the retreating pair. The Venatori stepping in his way are barely even an afterthought to him, magic reaching out from him to strike them down on instinct. This wasn’t his first battle, it surely wouldn’t be his last, and such weak targets were hardly a threat he needed to devote time to dealing with. His name is shouted as Solas runs, not that he pays them any mind either. 

Solas had to give Alexius credit where credit was due.

The man certainly knew how to run away.

They round another corner, Solas pushing his magic further, trying to Fade Step faster as he feels more magic hanging in the air just ahead of them. The spell snaps to life just as he reaches the corner, the effects washing over him before he could protect himself. Everything in a bubble of several feet slows down, not unlike what had happened with the rift outside of Redcliffe. Solas glares with ever-growing anger as Alexius drags his son out a side door, horses already waiting there for them.

He pushes his magic forward, fighting against the limitation Alexius’ spell puts on him. But by the time it reaches the limit of the time magic, it’s distorted, and his attack misses its mark. Several of the Venatori guards are turned to stone in an instant, but the Magister doesn’t even spare them a glance as he rides off. 

They are gone from sight before Solas can break free, his shout echoing all the way back to where the others were trying to clean up and explain just what had happened. 

A raven comes flying into the open door where Solas stands seething, trying to get a handle on the rage that threatened to topple his resolve not to kill everyone in this wretched castle. Panelan quickly shifts forms, asking questions, but Solas couldn’t hear a word past the blood rushing in his ears. He recoils when he feels Solas’ broken spirit, the grief, and agony there. 

“Where’s Felicity?” Solas chokes on a sob at the sound of her name, falling forward as the grief once again hits him like a train, only barely catching himself on the door frame. “Solas, where is she?” Worry wormed its way into Panelan’s voice as he glanced around, searching for her bright spirit with his own and finding nothing. 

“They killed her.” Solas shakes from the effort to remain upright, to not curl up and break, crying until the world crumbles around them. “Her and the Herald and the Tevinter mage, the Magister killed them all.” His grief starts manifesting his magic around them, the blue-green energy seeping into the stone wall he leaned against, fissures and cracks created in its wake.

“No…” Panelan’s shoulders slump, eyes falling shut to keep his tears from falling. 

“This world- this world will _burn._ ”

~~~~~

Solas and Panelan are both gone before the others can even trace the sound of his scream back to him, only seeing the petrified Venatori as proof that he- or someone- had been there at all. The mages were banished from Ferelden, the Inquisition taking in those who wanted to join, but it certainly wasn’t as full allies. 

The Inquisition’s plans for closing the Breach are thrown into chaos at the loss of the Herald, not that they had much time to grieve. Corypheus and his armies marched on Haven not long after the others returned. Most were killed, though they spared many from the Inner Circle and the Advisors. 

Death would have been kinder.

While they are being tortured and interrogated, Solas and his agents across Thedas work against Corypheus, Fen’Harel soon on everyone’s lips as he shakes the world once more.

But for all his power, all his artifacts and knowledge and agents, he can’t stand against the forces Corypheus had managed to draw together. The darkspawn heeded his every whim, the Red Templars corrupted into nothing but mindless monsters, power-hungry and murderous. Demons, controlled by the Nightmare, washed over Orlais and Ferelden, soon all of Thedas.

It isn’t long before they reach the remains of Solas’ hidden temple, and though they kill many of Corypheus’ men, more rise up to take their place, and eventually, they are overrun. 

Panelan is butchered before his eyes, Thelris taken and corrupted by red lyrium, Virdi beheaded where she lay still in Uthenera. With his most trusted friends gone, Solas fights all the harder, the halls of his temple filled with statues of those who dared to fight against him. 

But alone, still weakened, he couldn’t win, couldn’t run. He didn’t even want to try and run. Let them do their worst, he wouldn’t break, he wouldn’t give Corypheus what he wanted. And nothing the corrupted magister could do to him could be worse than what he’s already lived through.

Solas finally dragged through to the prison cells in Redcliffe, fighting tooth and nail as they brought him back to where he’d lost it all again. Solas sees those he once called friends- those his Felicity cared so deeply about- locked up as well, in various states of corruption and sanity. 

Dáithí alone remained uncorrupted; for whatever reason, the red lyrium couldn’t find any purchase in his body. It was likely due to his ability to negate magic without the use of lyrium, not that anyone knew that beyond himself and Solas. Throughout all the torture, he remained stoic, already so broken within that the physical pain meant little. But they wouldn’t let him die, not with knowing how he fought off the red lyrium. They dissect him before stitching him back together, pushing him to the brink of death before dragging him back. 

That anger and frustration is also directed at Solas when they find the red lyrium taking longer to corrupt him than the others. He easily could have told them it was because he was ancient, born from a time long before this world existed as it did today. The torture wasn’t anywhere close to what he suffered at the hands of the Evanuris, and Solas continues to fight against his captors. 

It doesn’t take long for them to realize that his signature spell of turning people to stone couldn’t work if he couldn’t see, and with that, they took away his sight, burned his eyes from his skull. It takes them a little longer to stop sending mages to interrogate him, Solas still able to ‘see’ them with his spirit even as broken as weak as they kept him. 

Solas loses all sense of time in that prison, remaining broken, bloodied, beaten, and blind in his cell day in and day out. He’s slumped in the corner of his cell, struggling to breathe as his memories overwhelm him when he hears the door to this section of the cells open with a loud creak.

“Who is there?” It was too soon for them to be back already, they’d only left him an hour or two ago. His wounded spirit reaches out, already preparing what spells he can to attack with, but they all fizzle out as Solas scrambles to his feet at what he finds. 

“Solas?! Oh god, no, what have they done?!”

~~~~~

Cold water is the next thing Felicity feels after the dark spell, sputtering as she lands face down in the murky water filling wherever they had been sent. Dorian and Acacia are no better, but both quick to rise as they hear cursing coming from the other side. It takes Felicity a little while longer, her magic reeling within her at the sudden shift. Something felt like it latched onto her, digging its claws into her spirit, her stomach twisting at the feeling.

As they fight the guards, Felicity remains on her hands and knees, barely keeping herself from collapsing into the murky water as she tries to hold in the contents of her stomach. No matter how much air she gulps down, it doesn’t feel like it reaches her lungs, everything burning as she starts to shake.

“Make it stop, make it stop!” She cries, restoration spells rising up and washing over her. It quieted the leeching feeling of whatever was stuck within her, but it didn’t get rid of it entirely. As Felicity stumbles to her feet, arms wrapped tight around herself, she’s met with a concerned Acacia and a confused Dorian. 

“S-sorry, the trip did a number on me. Where are we? Where is everyone else?”

“The better question would be _when_ are we. I imagine everyone else is right where and when we left them.”

“When are we...” Felicity slowly repeats, terror gripping her chest within it’s iron claws. If they were in the future, a future where there was no Herald to stop Corypheus, it would be just like what she went through with the Envy demon. If this world was anything like the glimpses she got in the game from Envy, this was precisely where Felicity didn’t want to be. “We have to get back! Can we? How did we get here? Oh god, no, we can’t be here!”

“Calm down, it’s- alright, it’s not okay, but we can’t freak out.” Acacia says as she searches the pockets of the recently deceased guards. The downward spiral has already begun, Felicity’s emotion taking the driver’s seat in her mind, logic, and reason tossed out the window as she starts to hyperventilate. She needs something to ground herself, and without Solas or Dáithí here, there was only one thing left to do.

Felicity practically throws herself at Dorian, the Tevinter mage catching on instinct, holding her up with a stunned expression as she trembles in his arms.

“Oh my, you are a hugger.” He mumbles, awkwardly patting her back as Acacia stands up, victoriously holding out a set of keys she’d found. 

“I don’t wanna see it again.” She whispers, the glimpses she’d gotten in-game quite enough. Actually being here was no doubt going to be far, _far_ worse.

“Again?” Suspicion quickly rises to the surface, Dorian freezing, wondering just who he was holding and how she’d see this all before.

“It wasn’t this exactly, but it’s going to be bad. I know the future that comes without a Herald, I’ve seen it, and there is nothing worse. Fuck, what happened to everyone else?”

“I suspect we will find out shortly. Are you a Seer? Like the Rivani?”

“No, I- it’s- I can’t really explain it, but if we get back, I promise I’ll try to tell you.” 

“I am going to hold you to that.” Dorian can’t keep up the suspicious glare as he looks down at Felicity’s distraught expression. Nothing about her felt disingenuous, felt like a lie or an act. “But for now you are right, we should get back as soon as possible. Shall we?” He smiles handsomely to Acacia, who can’t stop a grin from tugging at her lips in response, nodding as she goes to unlock the cell door. 

Whatever jail they are in, it is dark and dank, Felicity’s skin crawling when red lyrium starts appearing everywhere. It starts ringing in her ears, insistent even as she covers them, trying to block out the sound. 

“What’s the matter?”

“C-can’t you hear it?” Felicity turns to Dorian, and when he shakes his head, she starts to feel sick. 

“I can hear a faint… chime, sometimes, like a small bell, but nothing more. What do you hear?” He almost doesn’t want to ask, as it clearly was nothing pleasant.

“Like… hammers on metal, ringing insistently. No quieter if I cover my eyes and hum. And then, under all that noise… it… it whispers? I can’t- can’t tell what it’s saying if it’s even saying anything coherent, but I don’t like it.”

“That sounds truly terrible. Let’s be quicker, yes?” Felicity nods, accepting the arm Dorian offers, leaning against him for support whenever they walk past more corrupted lyrium. The cells they pass are either full of it or of corpses, neither one instilling confidence within their little group. However far in the future they were, it was bad, and they _had_ to get back.

“Lyssas, is that you?” Acacia races over when they find someone alive within the cells. She looks for the lock, but where it would have been had already been encased in the ever-growing red crystals filling the cell. The young elf has no reaction to Acacia’s words, dead eyes locked on the far wall as he mumbled under his breath. 

“Come on, it looks like there are more cells down here. Maybe someone is still here, someone who can give us some answers.” The Herald quickly wipes away the tears, turning from the young man she’d briefly met upon coming to Redcliffe. He’d been frightened, wanting no part of the alliance with Tevinter, but he hadn’t gotten much of a choice. 

The next few corridors are thankfully clear of red lyrium, for the most part, at least. No large spikes that threatened to block their way, and in the absence, Felicity feels a little bit of her sanity returning. So far, this was worse than what she’d played when she’d gone to save the Templar’s, though she doubted living through that would have been any fun either. 

“The light shall lead her safely through the paths of this world and into the next. For she who trusts in the Maker, fire is her water.” The words echo from one of the side rooms, Acacia and Felicity each recognizing the accent, however distorted it sounded, and take off running for the door. It slams open, stopping Cassandra in the middle of the Chant, the Seeker staring in shock as they all line up in front of her cell. “Y-you’ve returned to us. Can it be? Has Andraste given us another chance?” Felicity’s heart breaks when she lays eyes on Cassandra, huddled on the floor of her cell in the corner, her once gleaming armor dented and in tatters. Bits of red lyrium are poking out through her skin, its energy corrupting her slowly but surely.

She works on getting the door unlocked, trying key after key while Dorian and Acacia try and explain what they think happened. Finally, the right key turns, the door swinging open with a loud creak. How long had it been since it had been opened, she wondered. Acacia steps in, helping Cassandra stand, though the Seeker tries to do it on her own. It is clear that she has been weakened through the combination of the red lyrium, the torture, the starvation, everything they had done to her all in the hopes of breaking her. 

Still, her will had remained steady, much to her captors’ dismay.

“Some of the others have survived as well, I am sure of it. They took Varric from here a time ago, though I think they kept him nearby.”

“Can you still fight, maybe-”

“I have not much longer, Herald, I will use what time I have left to make them pay.” The hatred and determination in her voice sends countless emotions through Acacia, though she doesn’t have the time to try and work through them right now.

Varric is just as surprised as Cassandra had been when they found his cell, and he was just as witty and sarcastic as he had always been. But everyone could see how tired he was, how hopeless he’d been until they were suddenly standing before him talking of time magic and saving the world. He falls silent, looking off to the side when they glance into the next cell over, Blackwall lying on the ground with a giant shard of red lyrium growing from his chest. 

Felicity doesn’t even try to stop the tears streaming down her cheeks, and though she is desperate for answers, her questions about what became of Solas stay locked firmly behind her lips. Any more sadness, and she just might break down in earnest.

They wander through more corridors, finding more corpses for the most part. They stumble upon Sera, who is on the verge of death, and she makes Acacia swear to make this right before she breathes her last. Felicity loses the contents of her stomach when they find the mangled corpses of Josephine and Cullen. Acacia screams, her heart shattering when she sees clutched in Cullen’s lifeless hand is the little wooden charm she had carved for him.

They have to physically stop Acacia from racing ahead, knowing that if she went in alone, all hope was lost. Her anger would undoubtedly help her fight harder, but she couldn’t be reckless, not with the fate of the world resting on her shoulders, in her marked hand. 

With only one corridor left, Felicity can’t decide if she wants it to be empty or not. They had yet to find Vivienne or Solas, though they could have been among the corpses they couldn’t recognize through all the red lyrium. 

“Who is there?” Her heart stops when she hears a voice- his voice!- recognizable to her in an instant, even with it as twisted and weakened as it was. Felicity literally drops all that she carries; the keys, the spare staff she’d stumbled upon, the empty potion bottle Dorian had just returned to her, racing forward desperate to see if it was truly her Solas.

“Solas?! Oh god, what have they done?!”

He falls against the bars of the cell, his spirit desperately searching the familiar light rushing into the room as he reaches out through the bars to the source of the miracle appearing before him. 

It was impossible, it had to be a trick, a trap.

Felicity was gone. 

She was dead.

His fingers can just barely skim her cheek, the bars of his cell keeping him from getting any closer as Felicity freezes at what she finds. The moment she feels him, though, she lurches forward, leaning into the bars as if she could morph right through them.

“Oh my god, Solas! Are you alright?!” Alright is far from what he is now that she can see him from the dim light behind her. Black scorch marks of some kind are burned into where his eyes used to be, cracks and fissures of glowing red standing out of the charred wounds. His unhealthily pale skin made it look worse. 

“No, no, no, not you too. Please, no…!” Her hands shake as they frame his face, trying her best to ignore the small shards of red lyrium starting to grow from him as well. “This fucking door!” Felicity pulls away for a heartbeat, Solas scrambling to reach further and keep her there. With an angry gesture, her magic gets directed at the prison cell door, a loud cracking sound echoing as the lock is blown to pieces.

_“Vhen'an,_ how are you alive?!” The moment it swings open, Solas steps through, sweeping Felicity into his arms, trying to gather his frazzled thoughts because this was without a doubt his Felicity. All she can do is cry as she clings to him, trembling, and Solas turns when he feels new auras walking into the room. 

It was Acacia and Dorian. 

They were all alive! 

_How?_

When Felicity can’t provide him with any answers, he quietly starts talking with Dorian as he squeezes Felicity as close to him as he can. 

“We weren’t killed, we were sent forward in time. Not unlike what Alexius did to get to the mages before the Inquisition, though this was on a large scale.”

“If we can get you back, you can obviate the events of this last year, it may not be too late!” 

“That’s the plan. Can you-” 

“If there is any hope, any way to save them, my life is yours.” Solas’ voice is calm despite the emotions rolling through him, Dorian can see just how serious Solas is. He was dying regardless, he would sacrifice what remained of his life if it meant none of this future came to pass.

Cassandra and Varric lead the way, everyone else falling into step behind them, though Solas doesn’t let Felicity move even a step away from him. There is so much he wants to say, to confess, so much so that he can’t decide what should be first and silence reigns. And though his lips may be frozen, his hands are not, quietly tracing over every inch of her he could, basking in the warmth of her body.

“I’m s-so sorry, Solas, I- I-”

“Shh, _‘ma vhen’an_.” He quiets her, one arm settling around her waist, keeping her pressed into his side, the other reaching across his chest to brush over her features, to wipe away her tears as she pressed her cheek into his shoulder. Walking was awkward, but they made do, as they knew they couldn’t stop, but refused to be parted. “I thought you dead, Felicity, and everything seemed to lose its purpose. I was going to make them pay for taking you, for snuffing out your light, but I wasn’t enough. Corypheus was too strong, his armies too powerful. We must get you back, this world… this world must never come to pass.”

“I d-don’t want to leave you.”

“You won’t be, you’ll be coming back to me. And you must, _‘_ _ma vhen’an,_ whatever happens here, you must make it back with the Herald. You must come back to me.”

Felicity continues to cry as Solas continues to memorize the feel of her, to take solace in the fact that she would be safe, that he would see her again, even if it wasn’t this version of himself that would be blessed with such a gift. When they reach another crossroads, Venatori swarming the room, Solas begrudgingly releases her so they can fight. His spells cast with so much more anger than Felicity could ever remember seeing. Though she supposed it was natural, these monsters had been torturing him for a year, corrupting him, breaking him down until he would give them the answers they sought. Acacia is fighting just as hard, maybe more so, the image of Cullen’s unseeing eyes still fresh in her mind. 

The moment the last body hits the floor, Solas is next to Felicity, his hands trace over her to make sure she didn’t sustain any wounds. She does the same, and when she sees one of them had nicked his arm with a blade, she moves to heal it. But the magic does nothing, the wound not reacting.

“The red lyrium, it keeps us from healing like we should.” Solas explains, taking her hands within his as her magic flickers out. Varric nods in agreement, searching the bodies of their captors for something that could pass as a bandage for the Seeker, Cassandra muttering out curses as she holds a hand to her side, a bloody broken arrow in the other hand. “Come, we must keep moving. Alexius will be in the throne room, he never leaves these days, or so the guards say.”

So they pushed on. Fight after fight, room after room, step after step they pushed on. 

When they reach a room that looks like some twisted laboratory, Felicity’s stomach threatens to lose it’s contents again at the smell of this foul room, the oily feel of dark magic in the air. Acacia is about to lead them back out when Felicity’s eye catches on something in the back corner of the room. 

There, strapped to a table mangled and cut open, lays Dáithí. Felicity lets out a strangled cry as she pulls herself away from Solas and rushes to the crude exam table. It takes a moment for his eyes to come back to the present, slowly focusing on Felicity, but the only reaction she gets is a soft derisive snort.

“This again?” His voice is rough, bitter, disgust clear as day in his clouded eyes.

“Dáithí, it’s me, it’s really me. Fucking hell, what have they been doing to you?” Her fingers shake as she struggles to get the binds off, eventually taking a step off to the side as Varric nudges her, pulling out a small bolt to cut the leather. Her magic settles over his entire body, healing what she could, her stomach twisting at all the gruesome scars he had.

“It didn’t work before, it won’t work now. She’s dead.” Dáithí doesn’t even bother moving as he’s freed, remaining on the table, eyes unfocusing as he turns his gaze back to the ceiling. 

“I’m not dead, we didn’t die.”

“Your lies won’t work-”

“The first time we fought, it took me hours to land a single hit against you. I was so happy afterwards that I practically danced around Haven, telling everyone. I full-on tackled you in our game of spoons when you and I went for the same one. You promised to show me how to carve wood so I could make my own staff. You told me I should find daisies and violets because they would look good in my braid. When I was talking about how I liked the smell of crystal grace, you found me some soap for my hair that smelled just like it. You called me da’ean, and when I asked Solas what it meant, he said it meant ‘little bird,’ and that’s the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever heard. I am so sorry that I left, but I swear I’m going to make it right.” 

At first, Dáithí ignored her, but as she continued to share, her tears falling nonstop, he slowly turned back to her. His mouth falls open, recognition sparking in his eyes.

“This is all my fault, and I’m so sorry!” Felicity sobs as she falls to her knees, unable to even look behind her where Cassandra, Varric, and Solas are all standing after a nightmare of a year. “I should have known, should have stopped it, I should have done more. I’m sorry, god, I’m so fucking sorry!” 

Dáithí sat up as she fell down, staring at her. She looked exactly as she had that day that felt like a lifetime ago. Apart from the dirt and grime covering her- no doubt from fighting through this hell hole- everything was the same, right down to the flowers in her messy braid. 

“You’re alive.” He slides down from the table, pulling Felicity into his arms as tears of his own start to fall. “It’s really you.”

“I’m sor-”

“Shh,” Dáithí quiets her, holding her tighter. “Felicity, I can’t believe- how did you- Maker, you’re alive!” The roughness of his voice is only made worse by the emotions rolling through him, Dáithí choking on sobs as he shakes his head in disbelief. They had tried this trick before, having demons take her form to try and get answers from him, but they never could capture her essence correctly. They would look like her and sound like her, but beyond that, they were no more Felicity than Corypheus himself. 

“He sent us through time, I forgot- I-I didn’t know. I’m sorry- I’m sorry!” 

“Can you get back?”

“If we can get to Alexius, we can at least try.” Dorian steps forward, doing his best to explain the theories and principles of the time magic, but Dáithí waves him off halfway through.

“Then we must find him.” Dáithí stands, helping Felicity up as well. He’s sore, but for the most part, he is healed, her magic working wonders as it always had. It doesn’t take long to find where his staff was kept, the Venatori studying it as intently as they had been him. When he looks back to see Solas once again holding Felicity in his arms, his eyes narrow. 

Word of Fen’Harel had been whispered among the Venatori, the ancient gods’ name cursed as he attacked Corypheus for months before falling victim to the darkspawn’s hordes. Not long after, Dáithí had noticed Solas’ presence in this hell hole. Dáithí had always wondered just who Solas was, his magic was different from other mages, just like Felicity. And just it was shortly after vanishing from Redcliffe that Fen’Harel started moving against Corypheus openly. 

It couldn’t all be a happy coincidence. 

_“Ar eolasa ma.”_ The elvish catches Solas’ ear, and as he turns to the directions of Dáithí’s voice, he squares his shoulders. Even as broken and bloodied as he is, he makes an imposing figure. Dáithí knew that if Solas still could see, if he still had his eyes, Dáithí would find that same fierce light in the elf’s eyes as he always would get when it came to Felicity. 

_“Ahn junas?”_ With a cool tone, Solas replies, tension strung tight in his body, just waiting for the right moment to snap. Silence drags on between the pair as Dáithí realizes there is nothing he could truly do.

_“Tel’nu ash.”_ A simple answer for such a heavy question, but one that would suffice. They had more important things to worry about, they had to get Felicity and the others back to the right time. “You _will_ keep her safe. That is enough.”

“You still have to teach me elvish.” Felicity sniffles as she glances up to Solas, her spirit weaving together with his, trying to restore what had been an ocean of peace. 

“We must get you home first, da’len.” Solas’ lips quirk into a small smile, having missed her more than he could even begin to describe. 

“I can’t leave you here, neither of you.”

_“Vhen'an,_ if you go home, you won’t be. This will never come to pass if we succeed, you can’t leave someone who isn’t here.” Felicity whimpers, pressing her cheek to his chest, one arm wrapping around his waist, the other reaching out for Dáithí.

“I’m-”

“We need to move.” Acacia’s cold voice interrupts her, everyone having scavenged what they could from the room. They stand ready at the door, all eyes on Felicity, who just nods.

Eventually, they were in what remained of the throne room, a very haggard Leliana having joined on the way. The room is swarming with demons, mages, and guards, a giant rift in the center of the room that seemed to make the demons around it stronger than they ought to be. And though it took much longer than they would have hoped, they win, Acacia doing what she could to close the rift before plopping onto the ground uncaring of the demon remains, blood, and gore that coated the floor. Felicity makes rounds healing what she could on Acacia, Dorian, and Dáithí, trying again and again to heal Solas, Varric, Cassandra, and Leliana, but to no avail. 

One of the mages had a fragment of red lyrium that seemed to be fashioned into an amulet of sorts, Dorian quickly examining it and rushing up to the door that was sealed tight, keeping Alexius from their grasp. With a short nod, he places the small shard into one of the slots, magic quickly locking it in place, a glow appearing above the door. One of a larger set, they would need them all if they were going to continue. That would have to wait a moment, though, everyone needs to catch their breath. Going into even one of these fights without their full strength would likely mean death for one, if not all, of them. 

Solas sits on one of the stairs, leaning against the half-broken hand railing, tucking Felicity into his arms. His face is pressed into her hair, the soft smell of her soap and perfume calming him like nothing else could. Words fall from his lips, though no one can understand the ancient elvish, even Dáithí could only pick out the occasional word. But it didn’t matter to Felicity, she was just happy to have him here for the time being, even if she knew that she would have to abandon him when they got to Alexius. Every now and again, he would move, pressing feather-light kisses to her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, her shoulders, more elvish whispered against her skin, little promises he wished more than anything he would be able to keep.

“Come on, we have to keep going.” Acacia stands, brushing off what she could, picking one of the doors at random and walking in with her staff at the ready. Slowly but surely, they cleared the rooms, the shards quickly piling up until the full set sat in Dorian’s hands. 

They pause as he works on getting them all in the right slots, Solas turning to Felicity, his hands rising up to frame her face.

“You must survive, whatever happens in there, you must. Get back with the Herald and Dorian, _no matter what_. Swear to me.”

“I- Solas, I don’t-”

“Swear to me, Felicity.” He leans closer, resting his forehead against her, wincing at the sound of her broken sob, the sound shattering his heart that only recently started beating again.

“I swear!” She sobs, arms scrambling to wrap around him, crying into the tattered remains of his coat, as uncaring of the gunk covering it as Acacia had been about the floor.

_"Ar lath‘ma vhen’an_.” He whispers, pressing one last kiss to her forehead as the sound of magic fills the air, the door finally unlocking. Sorrow and hope mingle in equal measure with the love in his expression as Solas pulls back, offering her a small smile before turning to the slowly opening door. 

It was hardly a fight with Alexius, the man broke after everything that had happened. The anger he had at losing his son was quickly burnt out, leaving the magister a husk of who he had been. Acacia strikes the killing blow against him, Alexius gurgling out one last message as she pulls the staff blade from his chest. 

“Time’s… up…” That was too ominous, Felicity leaning against her staff to try and catch her breath. Everything hurt, each breath burned, her muscles ached, and no amount of magic was going to heal her the mental scars that would be left when she has to abandon Solas and the others. They frantically search for the amulet Alexius used to send him here, Dorian crying out victoriously when they pull it from a side pocket.

“Give me an hour, and I should be able to-” He’s interrupted by both Leliana and the roar of a dragon in the distance.

“You must go now! There is no time!” She isn’t sure what worries Dorian more, the sound of a demon army marching closer with a would-be god in their ranks or the fact that he will have to wing this spell and that if it doesn’t work the world is doomed. 

It’s probably a tie. 

Dáithí, Cassandra, and Varric all share a look, giving each other grim nods before tightening their grips on their weapons. Cassandra quietly says something to Leliana, who nods, Solas quickly turning to Acacia, speaking as fast as he can. 

“We’ll hold the outer door; once they are through, it is up to you.” Solas takes three steps to close the distance with Felicity, leaning down and kissing her. Tears stream down her cheeks, Solas pulling back after only a second to say what would likely be his last words. “You need to make it home Felicity, you have to come back to me.” Felicity nods as she cries, her heart breaking as he steps back to join the others. 

The three of them head for the door, Solas’ spirit brushing against hers one last time as he hears Acacia physically having to hold Felicity back to keep her from following. He takes a deep breath as he pulls back, the door shutting, sealing once again. Felicity shouts, begs for there to be another way. Dorian focuses on the amulet, on the magic he never perfected, praying desperately to the Maker that this would work. Acacia glares at the door, at the sounds of fighting just beyond it, tears running down her cheeks as well, vowing silently to herself to never let this happen.

Leliana stands between them and the door, bow in hand, quietly reciting the chant. When the sealed door slams open suddenly, Felicity screams, terrified as demons and Venatori swarm in. She catches glimpses of Varric’s body just outside, Cassandra pushed in and now fighting back to back with Leliana to keep the enemies at bay. Solas, forgoing the staff, uses every ounce of magic to keep the demons preoccupied. 

But they don’t last long. 

Cassandra is soon ripped apart by shades, the various parts of her body tossed carelessly about the room.

Leliana is pierced with more arrows than anyone could count in the fray, a blade in the back and across the neck silencing her forever.

Dáithí is set aflame, a rage demon tearing it’s burning claws through him, charring the corpse to the point of being unrecognizable. 

Solas is dragged into the air by a terror, the demon screaming before turning to Felicity, who is screaming right back. She takes a step away, reaching out for Solas, who stares back with a terrified expression, his body paralyzed by the demon’s magic. It’s claws wrapped around his face, digging into his head thoughtlessly before it rips it from the rest of his body, both thrown at Felicity’s feet. She freezes, eyes wide as his blood is splattered against her. The terror crying out victoriously as it feels her horror growing. 

The demons rush the last of their group, Acacia pulling Felicity back just in time for the spell.

Once again, they were sucked into darkness.

In an instant, they are back in the throne room, not seconds after they’d left. Everyone freezes again, shocked by the state of the three of them. Dorian pulls it together first, witty remark falling from his lips, Acacia glaring down as Alexius falls to his knees. Felicity remains frozen through, mind shattered, still seeing Solas’ body in pieces before her. His blood paints her skin, and as she feels the still warm liquid start to trail down her body, her mind only continues to splinter off into nothingness. 

“Felicity!”

Solas, uncaring of the magister now that things seem to have resolved themselves, rushes to Felicity, distraught at both her catatonic condition and the vast amount of blood and gore covering her. 

“Da’len, who’s blood is this?!”

Acacia looks to them for a heartbeat before glancing away.

“Your’s, Solas,” She answers for Felicity, who can still only stare at the floor, “They ripped your head off and tossed your body to her, knowing that she would break.” 

Solas is taken aback by the answer, but, seeing how serious Acacia is, knows that she is not lying. He had no idea what had happened, but it would have to be a discussion for another time. His eyes flashed with magic, cleaning Felicity up with a gentle spell before carefully taking her face and tilting it up so he could meet her distant gaze.

“Da’len, please come back to me,” he whispers, a gentle smile quirking his lips up when slowly but surely her gaze focuses on him. In the blink of an eye, tears are pouring down her cheeks. Solas wipes them away as quickly as they appear while he continues to hold her. 

“It is all okay now,” Solas murmurs, and his voice, uncorrupted by the red lyrium and the torture, is what breaks the last of the spell on her. Felicity’s face crumples as she sobs, falling forward into his arms, Solas is all too happy to support her weight as her mind returns to her body.

The heavy sound of clanking armor draws everyone’s attention, even Felicity’s cries quieting as they look to the front door of the castle. No one seems surprised to see who walks into the room just behind the guards, but Felicity nearly falls over. There, marching up to them with scowls on their faces, are the King and Queen of Ferelden, Alistair and Eliora. The Hero of Ferelden stands before them, looking far better than she ever had in the game. 

“You’re here. Both of you?” Felicity mutters, unintentionally breaking the heavy silence. Eliora’s eyes flicker to her, narrowing in suspicion before she replies.

“My home is being threatened, where else would I be?” That strikes a chord in Felicity, and suddenly, everything comes into startling clarity. Alistair talks with Fiona and Acacia, making it very clear the mages are no longer welcome in Ferelden, but it’s all lost on Felicity. Eliora continues to stare at the now silent elven mage, tears still drying on her cheeks. Something was familiar about her, Eliora was sure she knew the elf from somewhere, but nothing was coming to mind. Solas steps to the side so he could better see Felicity, more than a little worried about her wildly shifting emotional states. 

“I’m not going home...” Felicity mumbled when Solas quietly called her name. She looks up at him with wide, wonder-filled eyes. “I’m not going home! I don’t want to go back, that’s not my home, this is! This is my home, my world now.” In another heartbeat, her eyes change again, hardening with determination. “And no one is going to take it from me, not even Corypheus.” She was going to fight for her home, with everything she had.

Alistair is still going on about everything the mages had done, Fiona shrinking back under his angry accusations, Acacia looking torn between what to do. She was still so mad with how Fiona had handled the situation, but then again, surely forcing them all to serve couldn’t fix anything. 

“We’ll take the mages as allies, we need their help to close the Breach.” Felicity steps away from Solas who’s shocked not only by her words, but by her steady tone, her conviction, and the power her words hold. He wasn’t sure if there was magic laced with them; he doubted she knew either, but she was demanding the attention of those gathered, and they were helpless to resist. “I assume you want us out of here sooner rather than later?”

“I think that would be best.” Felicity nods, turning to look at her stunned friends behind them, Dáithí alone looking unsurprised, the stern soldier even smiling a little bit. 

“Acacia, ride ahead, start planning to close the Breach. I’ll let them know you’re coming. Fiona, gather your best, they’ll ride with her. _Don’t_ close the Breach until we all get there, there’s a lot we need to plan for and not nearly enough time.” Acacia doesn’t need to be told twice, she’s desperate to see Cullen alive and well, she needs to get the images of him corrupted and dead out of her mind. She motions for Bull and Varric to join her, Fiona following behind, quietly talking to another mage. They would leave within the hour, the rest of the mages would be following shortly thereafter. It would take time to pack up, there were a great many elderly and children with Fiona.

“And just who are you?” Alistair turns his disapproving gaze to Felicity, who can’t help but smile up at the loveable dork she’d romanced nearly as many times as Cullen. 

“I’m Felicity, I’m with the Inquisition. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, both of you. I wish it could have been under better circumstances.” Felicity chuckles as she gives a quick bow to them. “Sorry again for all the trouble.” Without waiting for a dismissal, Felicity turns away, motioning for the others- still dumbfounded- to follow. If they were going to leave here in a timely manner, the mages would need help. 

Alistair and Eliora are left standing in the middle of the throne room, watching the Inquisition agents leave. 

“Where do I know her from?” Alistair asks, the tension finally leaving his shoulders. He’d been a king for several years now, but formal and kingly were still hard for him.

“I don’t know, but I feel the same. Felicity, what was her family name? Did she say?” Alistair just shakes his head, pursing his lips as he narrows his eyes.

“This is going to bother me all day.” He groans, wrapping an arm around Eliora’s shoulder. She had to agree with him, but more than that, she was curious about what Felicity had first said. She was surprised that Eliora was here, had she somehow known that she only recently got back from searching for a cure? They had hidden it well, many of the nobles still just assumed she was busy doing Hero of Ferelden work. 

Eliora just shakes her head, leaning against Alistair. They could get more information later; right now, they had a castle to set to rights along with an entire village. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Vhen'an/ 'ma vhen'an - My heart  
> Ar lath, 'ma vhen'an - I love you, my heart  
> Ar eolasa ma. - I know you.  
> Ahn junas? - What will you do?  
> Tel'nu ash. - Don't hurt her.
> 
> Alright guys, as I've said before, I am no linguist, no expert in English, certainly not in Elvish (no matter the fandom). I'm doing my best with what I have, I know it's not going to be 100% accurate or correct, and I've accepted that. It's fun to try regardless. :) I have to say thank you to my brother who's been helping me edit, and translate, and bounce ideas around with. You're the best, buddy!!


	18. Chapter 18

“That was… new.” Blackwall says to Solas with a cough, cautiously looking at Felicity, who was marching around helping anyone and everyone who needed it. “Dead one second, alive but catatonic the next, and then she’s as confident as can be. Walked away from the King and Queen without so much as a ‘by your leave.’ What happened in that future?”

“I do not know.” Solas was also concerned. Much had happened, that much was clear, and instead of dealing with it, Felicity has pushed it to the side to do the job that needs doing. This couldn’t hold forever, though, and Solas was worried about what would happen when she slipped. “I imagine we will hear about it back at Haven. Come, she shouldn’t have to do all the work.”

Solas hovered around Felicity, lifting the crates she couldn’t, helping people into the carts, and so on. All the while, Ferelden guards stood around, ensuring all of Fiona’s mages left. Just as they are getting ready to go, a familiar hart comes walking into Redcliffe, people casting wary glances at the large mount, but none daring to try and stop it. 

“Panelan,” Felicity sighs with a smile, rushing up and giving the hart a quick hug. She could feel her calm slipping, the control slowly sliding from her grasp. She’d managed to stay sane this long; she only needed a few minutes more. Once they were on the road, she could cry to her heart’s content; the others knew the way back to Haven. “I wanna go home, I miss the cabin,” she whispers, turning her eyes filled with unshed tears to Solas as he joins them.

“Are you ready?” She nods to Solas’ quiet question, and he quickly lifts her onto Panelan before climbing up after her. “Cassandra, if you could lead the way, Blackwall can bring up the rear to make sure we don’t lose anyone.” The Seeker makes her patented disgusted noise but pushes her mount to the front. 

_ “We’re all leaving; Acacia will be there first. Don’t close the Breach until we’re all there.” _ That’s all Felicity sends off to Cullen, his reply a little stunned, but he says he’ll get everything ready. Only a few hours before, she’d said they were getting ready to meet Alexius, he didn’t think they’d be done this fast. 

The sound of hooves on the ground and people quietly talking fills the air, and it’s just enough to cover the sound of Felicity crying into Solas’ chest. She shudders and shakes as she tries not to be too loud, not to draw too much attention, but all her emotions have been ripped to shreds and forced back together so many times these past two weeks, all she feels is raw.

“I didn’t want to leave you.”

“You didn’t; you came back.” His spirit wraps protectively around hers, his heart aching when he finds similar cracks in her as he had. She shouldn’t have to bear those wounds; she shouldn’t have to carry this weight on her shoulders. Felicity cries and cries until she doesn’t have anything left to give, her tears soaking Solas’ sweater. 

“I’m going to tell them, I already kinda started in the future. I'm tired of trying to hide...” She quietly says once she’s calmed down some. Solas nods, tightening his hold on her. This was inevitable, and it could play out so many different ways, but he couldn’t deny the fierce desire to protect her from everything. 

“I assumed as much. Just the Advisors and the Herald?”

“The Inner Circle too. And Dáithí. It’ll be easier for them to help cover for me if I’m out and about in the world and fuck up.”

“No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side.” 

Felicity pulls back a little to look up at him with a wobbly pout. Her eyes are red and puffy, her skin blotchy from crying so long and hard. 

“No matter what.” Solas kisses her forehead, his magic soothing over her skin, cleaning up her face and making her once again presentable to the public. 

They would be riding through the night to get to Haven, and Solas encourages Felicity to rest while she can. No doubt, they won’t let her rest until she gives them the answers they are all so desperate for. It doesn’t take much convincing to have Felicity leaning back against him, sleeping like the dead. 

“Solas, was it?” Dorian guides his horse up next to the hart, looking to the poorly dressed elf with questions clear in his eyes. 

“It is. What can I do for you?”

“Your uh-” Solas shoots Dorian a sharp look, he’d better choose his words wisely, or he’d see himself knocked off his high horse, figuratively and literally. “-your partner there, she said something interesting while we were gone. Have you been around red lyrium before?”

“Briefly, why?”

“What did you hear?”

“The hum of corrupted magic in the air, and something like chimes. Why?”

“She said it sounded like hammers on metal, loud and ringing in her mind even when she covered her ears. But under that, she said she heard whispers. I was curious if it was perhaps an elven trait, but neither you nor the Herald hear it.”

“I see.” Both Dorian and Solas’ eyes shift to the sleeping woman. Whatever she was hearing, however she was hearing it, it couldn’t be a good sign,  _ nothing  _ good could come from red lyrium. “I’ll ask her about it later.” Dorian couldn’t help but smirk at the subtext. He imagined if he so much as mentioned the red lyrium to Felicity, Solas would be coming for his head moments later. 

“I didn’t expect her to take charge like that.”

“I do not think anyone did. But someone had to step up and make the hard decision.” Dorian hums with a nod. Things quickly started deteriorating when the King and Queen showed up; they were all lucky to leave that castle with their lives. And now she had ever more weight added to her shoulders. There would be arguments about bringing the mages in as allies of the Inquisition, and they would all fall at Felicity’s feet as she is the one who made the decision. 

Everything was changing, and his Felicity seemed to be in the middle of it all. 

~~~~~

Halfway through the night, Felicity wakes up. Everything still doesn’t feel quite right, but she’s better than before. After a short argument with Solas, he relents, leaning forward against her to try and get some sleep as well. Felicity takes the reins in hand, not that she needed to use them, Panelan perfectly following Cassandra and the others who were leading the way.

Felicity was scared to tell everyone everything. Just the thought of being in the same room as Leliana again makes her stomach twist uncomfortably. Talking to Cullen had been easier through her spell, anxiety welling up, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it was that day she and Solas went to see him. And after seeing him dead in the future corrupted by red lyrium, she couldn’t deny the need to see him okay even if she felt anxious around him still. 

It was anyone’s guess how people were going to take her news. Solas handled it well, but he was also exceptionally open-minded and curious. It was people like Cassandra she worried about. Everything Felicity would share is going to be a tough pill to swallow; all she can hope for is that they don’t immediately go running for the brand.

The weight of Solas leaning against her is more comforting than she imagined it would be. Hearing him slowly breathe in and out, having that constant reminder that he was here, alive and well, settled itching anxiety in her chest. 

“Panelan, things around here are going to be changing very quickly, I need you to listen to me when the time comes, okay?” The hart bobs his head, making a mental note to ask Solas about all this later. There was something more to Felicity, something big. Maybe he could find a way into that room and hear it first hand. “I know that was probably not an actual nod that you understand me, but I’m going to take it anyways. I hope you’re good at traveling through snow.”

Felicity floats in and out of consciousness as they continue to travel, Solas waking her up in earnest when they near Haven. She can see the little village in the distance, the people just now waking up and getting ready for the day in the early morning sunlight. They were supposed to be gone a week, everyone thinking it would take time to convince the mages to join. Instead, they’re gone only a handful of days and returning with more mages than any of them had hoped for. There are a great many new tents set up outside of Haven, no doubt for the newest mages of the Inquisition to use. 

Not that they would be using them for long. 

Felicity grabs Solas’ hand once they are off Panelan, the hart immediately heading into the nearby forest for some peace and quiet. At least that’s what Felicity assumes. When a crow flies out of that forest a few moments after he disappeared, Solas knows that’s not the case. After a few more discreet shifts, Solas picks up a small lizard while Felicity is distracted telling Dáithí to meet them in the Chantry. 

As they get closer, they can hear the arguing and the questions flying from every direction, and the moment Felicity steps in, all the chaos is directed at her. 

‘You should have done this, Felicity.’ ‘You should have done that, Felicity “How could you promise them an alliance, Felicity’ ‘We do not have the resources, Felicity.’ ‘We do not have the space, Felicity.’ ‘How did you think we could take them in, Felicity?’

All Felicity does in response is point to the war room with a stern expression. They wouldn’t be having this fight out in the open, not this time. People roll their eyes and grumble, only a few quietly listening. Every inch of Felicity was filled with anxiety, and she squeezed Solas’ hand tighter as they followed the large group on in. 

There were enough chairs for everyone; Acacia had them get it ready so that the moment Felicity got here, they could have the meeting she wanted all of a sudden. Acacia sits down, as does Varric and Dáithí and Bull. Blackwall hesitates, but eventually follows suit, Cullen sighing but does the same. The moment the door is shut, Sera starts voicing her complaints, Cassandra and Leliana asking questions rapid-fire, Vivienne looking down her nose at Felicity and criticizing her choice. 

Already off to such a great start.

“Sit down and shut up,” Felicity barks, glaring at Leliana and Vivienne in particular, “I’m going to talk, and you are all going to listen with your mouths shut. I will answer what questions I can when we are done, but I’m having a hard enough time doing this as is.” 

No one had heard such a voice come from the small elven woman, and after another moment of silence, everyone else takes a seat. 

“If this is about Redcliffe, Acacia already-”

“No, Cullen, this is not about that, though I have to admit it did act as a catalyst.” Felicity quickly glances at everyone in the room, having made sure all of the Inner Circle was here for this. It’d be a little funny seeing everyone cramped together in this room if it weren’t for the nerves threatening to make her lose the content of her stomach. Felicity was so tired of throwing up. “I know all of you.” She says, taking another slow breath before diving in, looking first to Leliana. 

“I know you traveled with Eliorra during the Fifth Blight.” She opened her mouth to say that many knew that, but Felicity cut her off, continuing to share. “I know of your vision that you believed came from the Maker. I know you met the Hero when she went into a tavern in Lothering and was stopped by some of Loghain’s men. I know about Marjolaine and Tug and Sketch.” The Spymaster pales, wide eyes locked on Felicity, who then turns to Cullen, who looks like he’s about to be sick. 

“I know what they did to you in Kinloch.” He draws a quick breath, holding it deep as the memories play before his eyes once more. “And in Kirkwall. I know you’re struggling right now, but I  _ swear _ ,” Felicity’s voice cracks as she leans forward, desperate for him to hear the words and believe. “It gets better, Cullen, I swear it does.” Josie is next, and though she doesn’t show it, she’s worried what will come out of Felicity’s mouth.

“I know you used to be a bard, and I know why you left. I know about your family’s situation, and that you’re trying to bring your family back into the light, on top of all your duties here.”

“I know about Seheron, and Gatt, and Krem and the Chargers, Hissrad. I know about the tamassran who would laugh when you’d knock over all the blocks.”

“I know about the mages and what they did to Anthony, I know what you like to read. I know about the mage that died at the Conclave.”

“I know about your past life, Blackwall, about that day. I know about the dog you saw get killed when you were a child.”

“I know about your Duke, Vivienne. I know you’re looking for wyvern hearts.”

“I know about Bianca, and Bertrand and the thiag, about Hawke and Fenris and Anders and Isabelle and Merrill and Avaline and Sebastian, all of them. And not from that story you spun for the world either.”

“I know what your father tried to do Dorian, I know he was wrong. I know Felix used to sneak you treats while you and his father were working. ‘Don’t get into trouble on my account’ you’d say. ‘I like trouble.’ he’d reply.”

“I know about Denerim and the old lady who lied about baking and her ‘pride cookies.’”

Everyone in the room is speechless as Felicity looks at each one and tells them exactly what she knows of them, things no one should- or even could in some cases- know. 

“And I know that I’m not from here, not from Thedas. I’m from a place called Earth, a different world where all this, all of Thedas, it’s a series of games, stories. Ones I played many, many times. We don’t have magic or the Fade; we don’t have elves or dwarves or Qunari, just humans with vivid imaginations. I was a human before, I was in an accident that likely took my life, and I woke up here looking at the Breach. This is what I looked like; this was who I was.” A shimmer of magic washed over her from head to toe, changing her to what she looked like back on Earth. Felicity gets a little taller, her features softening, less dainty and defined, the pointed tips of her ears vanishing. There she stands in ripped skinny jeans, an oversized sweater of her own, though much more fashionable than Solas’. Braided bands and bracelets decorate her wrists, her worn combat boots giving her a little extra height. Her curls are tied up in a bun with a colorful scrunchie, headphones around her neck connecting to the phone in her pocket. 

“I know the Hero of Ferelden’s story, I know Hawke’s story, and I know the Herald’s story. The story of the Inquisition was the last one to come out. You saw the Herald wake, travel the Hinterlands, Orlais, all of it. And after. I know what’s coming, I know what Corypheus wants, I know what he’s going to try and do. And I want to help because this is my home now. I’m not going back, even if I could, I don’t want to. You are my friends, my family. I can’t watch by the sidelines anymore.” Tears finally overwhelm her, Felicity quietly crying yet again. She was amazed she even had tears to cry still.

“Well, shit.” Varric breaks the silence first, running a hand over his face before looking back up at the woman who just unloaded all that information onto their shoulders. Bull grunts in agreement, his one eye locked onto Felicity. She wasn’t lying again and judging by everyone else’s similar reactions, they knew she spoke the truth as well. “You knew all this, Solas?”

“Not right away, not all of it. Her magic was incredible, and when I found her in the Fade, she was dreaming of things that didn’t exist here, places that were on no map. But I don’t know how she got here or if she could go back.”

“Her magic?” Cullen asks, his face still far too pale, and he is unable to even look at Felicity. She knew. All this time, she knew all that he’d done, all that had been done to him, through him, and still, she treated him with kindness and respect. 

“I wasn’t a mage before I got here. Everything I can do is from other works of fiction, other stories, or sometimes I just think of something really hard, and my magic fills in the blanks.”

“Her body is unused to channeling magic, so using it for extended periods of time takes its toll on her, and her mana pool isn’t as large as we who have had magic our whole lives. That being said, it regenerates at an astonishing rate, and she is able to access magic from the Fade with little to no resistance from the Veil. What Acacia, or Vivienne, or Dorian can pull forth with all their mana doesn’t come close to what Felicity can draw together with a small fraction of the mana. That’s how she can accomplish such feats of magic.”

“Why didn’t you just tell us that when we brought her in?” Felicity flinches at the memories that rise up with Leliana’s words, fear trickling through her veins like ice water.

“Would you have believed us? You thought her to be a heretical blood mage. If she told you she knew the future, what would you have done? Accused her of possession. More blood magic. Branded her and made her Tranquil.” Solas gets progressively angrier as he continues. “She was terrified, and rightly so at the abhorrent treatment you gave her, not to mention the treatment of mages by your Chantry in general.”

“Don’t fight anymore, what’s done is done.” Felicity tugs on Solas’ sleeve, pulling him close until she could hold his hand in both of hers.

“What was done should never have occurred-!”

“But it did! It’s done, there’s no going back! It’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but I need to move on, I need to work through it and put it aside. There is  **_so_ ** much more at stake here.” Solas lets out an irritated huff but drops the subject, reaching out with his spirit to try and comfort and calm Felicity. 

This meeting was far from over.

~~~~~

“They are going to come over the mountain, a massive force. There won’t be a banner, but Corypheus will be there with Sampson, he’s the one leading the Red Templars. Leliana, you need to start pulling your scouts back once we close the Breach, that’s what sets him off. Once it’s closed, we need to get the people ready to leave, there’s a passageway through the back of the Chantry that takes everyone through the mountains. We can’t do that though until it’s time, or he’ll change course and cut us off.”

“It will be easy enough to store supplies here and wait with the elderly and children, the sick, those who won’t be able to make a quick exit.”

“We can cause an avalanche with the trebuchets once the troops start coming down the mountains, that’ll buy us some time. Corypheus has a dragon, it’s corrupted and sick, but it’s  _ not  _ an Archdemon.”

“How are we supposed to fight a dragon?” Josephine asks as her pen still furiously moving against the parchment. 

“We don’t. We don’t even fight Corypheus himself. We just need to distract them long enough for everyone to get out, then we turn a trebuchet to the mountain above Haven and bury it.”

“Bury Haven?”

“Yeah, that’s the only way. He thinks we’re dead or broken while, in reality, we are regrouping, recovering.” Cullen still looks unconvinced, but he wasn’t going to fight her, not after everything she’s already shown herself to know. 

“What distracts him enough to let everyone else go?”

“Corypheus doesn’t care about everyone else; he only wants the Herald, or rather the mark, the Anchor.” 

“Then I’ll stay behind-”

“No, you won’t. You’ll be leading everyone away; I can handle Corypheus and his dragon.”

“He wants the mark! You just said-” With a shimmer of magic, Felicity takes on the image of Acacia, a perfect copy, sputtering mark and all.

“You need to get out of this. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since coming here, it’s that this world is so much more dangerous than the game. You would barely survive then. We can’t risk you dying now. I can stay as a distraction; trust me when I say I have the perfect thing to get their attention.”

“You cannot give yourself to Corypheus-!” This time it is Solas voicing his issues with her plan, but Felicity just rolls her eyes. 

“I’m not going to give myself to anyone. I’ll distract them until we can fire the trebuchet, and then I’m flying back to you guys.”

“Fly?!” All the Advisors say at the same time, looking at Felicity like she well and truly lost her mind. 

“I- I can show you guys tonight. But we need to start getting things ready now. Acacia, closing the Breach takes a lot out of you, that’s also why I don’t think you should be in the middle of this fight. I’ll show you tonight; I can handle this.” On the outside, she’s confident, sure, maybe even a little cocky, but on the inside, anxiety twists her stomach into knots. Perhaps she can handle Corypheus and his dragon, if she can’t, she at least knows the escape route. She just couldn’t let Acacia do this, not when she’s already going to be so drained from the Breach.

They continue to talk plans for another two hours before Felicity starts to feel faint; the only rest she’d had was on the back of a hart, not to mention she hadn’t eaten anything in almost two days.

“I will show them to the clearing. Go eat, rest, you’re no good to anyone dead on your feet.” Dáithí crosses his arms over his chest, sternly looking to Felicity for her answer. An answer that had better be a yes or she was never going to hear the end of it.

“Alright, alright, I’m going. Thank you guys for giving me a chance.” Solas helps Felicity from the room, everyone remaining in silence for another long minute after the door shuts.

“This shit is crazy.” Varric pipes up again, everyone giving a little nod of agreement.

It really was.

~~~~~

The moment they are away from the Chantry, Felicity ducks off to the side, losing the contents of her already empty stomach into a bush as the shaking begins. Solas carefully supports her, making sure her hair doesn’t get in the way, his heart aching as he watches the love of his life break down. 

“Please don’t make me eat.” She whimpers, turning her eyes up to Solas, who can only nod.

“We’ll just try some broth. Can you walk?” Her eyes are quick to fall away, shame coloring her expression as she shakes her head. As gently as he can, Solas picks Felicity up, quickly Fade Stepping the rest of the way to the cabin to avoid any further jostling. Even after laying her down on the bed and tucking the covers around her, the shaking doesn’t stop. “I’ll be right back.” He murmurs as he presses a kiss to her forehead. Another Fade Step has him at the kitchens, quickly grabbing what he could before racing back. People don’t even have time to give him any guff for using his magic in the village, Solas back in the cabin within a matter of seconds.

“I was so scared.”

“I know you were. But you were also very brave, _ ‘ma fenorian, _ and you succeeded. You’ve warned them, and we can plan for the attack. You’ve saved so many lives.”

“I think I’m going to throw up again.” Her voice is weak, Solas quickly grabbing a bucket for her to heave over. There was nothing left in her to expel, which made it all the worse as she continued to try. 

“Oh, _ vhen’an. _ ” When she’s finished, Solas helps her back onto the bed, cradling her close as his spirit goes to work on calming her down. 

“P-promise me you’ll go with Acacia and the other, you have to show them Skyhold. I saw you die once; I can’t watch it again- I can’t -!” This is where the problems start. He knows he needs to go with Acacia, that the Inquisition must survive so they could right the wrongs he’d created by giving Corypheus his orb. But the thought of abandoning Felicity to face that monster alone is unbearable. 

“I-” Solas sighs, eyes sliding shut as he forces himself to nod. “I promise.”

“Thank you.” There is such relief in her words, in her spirit at his promise, Solas just holds her all the tighter, his heart sinking as he feels the spell taking effect. He was bound to keep that promise now, Solas really needs to stop assuming Felicity won’t be able to do ancient magic. Solas feels the mark settling into his skin, a ‘x’ on the inside of his wrist as proof. 

It takes a few hours, and several attempts before Felicity can hold anything down. Sleep never comes; every time she gets close, someone knocks on the door. Solas is on the verge of attacking whoever shows up next, but that would mean leaving Felicity’s side, and right now, that simply isn’t an option. 

“Da’len, we don’t have to do this tonight.” Solas pleads as he helps Felicity stand on shaky legs. 

“They need to start planning. I can do it, I’ll be fine.” She was far from fine, and if she did anything too strenuous with her magic, Solas didn’t want to even think about the havoc it would wreak on her body. That being said, he was reasonably sure she was just going to show them her dragon form. Since she didn’t typically require continuous magic to keep her different forms going, it should be fine. But their Maker had better help them if they try to push Felicity to do more. 

“We haven’t found your limit yet, da’len, I would rather not find out tonight.”

“I can do it, it’ll just be the one spell.”

“I swear, this world doesn’t know how lucky it is that you arrived.” Felicity weakly laughs as she leans into his arms, listening intently to his heart beating just beneath her ear. 

“Sweet talker.” Felicity follows his slow, calm breaths, carefully measuring her own to match until her head clears. “Do I look okay? I mean, not okay, but like, not on the verge of a mental breakdown because the literal weight of the world is on my shoulders?”

“You look tired, as we all do. A little stressed, but believe me when I say I have seen people falter under lesser struggles. You are doing marvelously, _ ‘ma fenorian. _ ” They share a slow kiss before they leave the cabin, walking through the now dark village, most of the townsfolk have already retired. There isn’t any sign of the Inner Circle in Haven, Felicity assuming that means they all decided to join Dáithí in the clearing.

The thought of all the eyes on her sends her stomach twisting into knots again, the biting cold air alone keeping her grounded as they walk.

Sure enough, there lining the edges of the large clearing stands the Advisors and the Inner Circle, Acacia standing a little ways away quietly talking with Dáithí. For the first time ever since coming to Thedas, Felicity curses the good weather Haven was seeing. If it were a little cloudier, they wouldn’t be able to make out her unsteady appearance as clearly as they could right now by the light of the moons. 

“What is it you wanted to show us? Something that could distract Corypheus from his true target.” Leliana’s hard voice makes her flinch again, Felicity gritting her teeth as she tries to push back the memories of her terror. 

“If you would give me a moment, I’ll show you.” She snaps back, the irritation rising up, helping her to focus. Felicity stomps away from Solas, who casts a glare at the Spymaster. She was saving lives, putting her own on the line to act as bait, and still, Leliana continues to attack her. He’d had just about enough. 

“I do not see how she alone can-” Vivienne doesn’t get the chance to finish as Felicity suddenly shifts, the large white dragon taking the place of the small elven woman, her head whipping around to the arrogant mage. Her lips pull back as she snarls, displaying her dangerously pointed teeth, her glowing blue eyes filled with fury.

“Silence!” The voice, as it always has been, is changed. Though Solas and Dáithí must admit, the hissing is much more evident now that she was well and truly outraged. “I am sick of the narrow views you force upon me. I am no Circle mage; I never will be. And if you are expecting me to blend in and conform simply because you’re a scary  _ bitch _ , you are deeply mistaken!”

“Holy shit!” Bull’s voice is the loudest- predictably- but just about everyone voicing their surprise as they take in Felicity’s new body. Vivienne, for once at a loss for words in the face of a dragon, remains frozen as Felicity pulls back, rising to her full height and surveying those below her.

“I can handle distracting Corypheus and his pet long enough for everyone to get out. You all have to focus on making sure it’s done as quickly as possible with as few casualties as you- Bull, focus.”

“You’re a  _ dragon! _ How am I supposed to focus!? Solas! Can you do this too?”

“No.” A partial truth. When he shifted, it required a constant- if small- amounts of magic to continuously hold the new form. The larger the form, the more magic it took to maintain. He could, theoretically, take the form of a dragon, just not in his still weakened state, not long enough to be truly useful. 

“Have you always been able to do this?”

“Since I’ve gotten magic, yes. I didn’t even try until I was training with Dáithí, though.”

“Flying to us in this form will surely draw Corypheus’ attention to where we are retreating.” Solas and Dáithí both snicker as they watch Felicity roll her eyes at Leiana’s words. 

“I didn’t know a dragon was the only creature able to fly,” She hisses, unfurling her wings, once again stunning everyone watching and taking to the sky. While in the air, she shifts into a large eagle, circling the sky above them. Then again to an owl, then a raven, then a dragonfly buzzing around their heads. Finally, she lands next to Solas, returning to her normal body. “And even if I couldn’t do that, I can just as easily fly myself like this.” Her magic swirls around her body in little glowing flickers of white energy, Felicity slowly levitating into the air and looking down at them. 

Everyone rushes up to Felicity as her feet meet the ground again, Solas catching her as her knees give out. She had used too much magic too soon; her spirit hadn’t had a chance to recover after the trauma it suffered going to and from the future. 

“That’s something,” Dorian says, curious eyes looking Felicity up and down. He could feel her magic as she cast, saw how little the Veil seemed to affect her. And now he watched as Solas executed such control with his aura as he tried to support the young mage who was changing everything. “I’m not sure what, but it’s something.”

“Is there anything you can’t do, Firecracker?”

“I’m not good at barriers yet, and I’m shit at cooking,” She tries to joke, her laugh choking off as she starts to shake again. Felicity’s skin has gone as white as the snow beneath their feet, and it only looks worse in the pale moonlight. A thin sheen of sweat covers her, her breaths stuttering as her body tries to protect itself from more casting.

“You could have done that when we took you,” Cullen mutters, wide eyes on Felicity. He hadn’t meant for anyone else to hear, but in the sudden silence, everyone heard. “Why didn’t you?”

“I- I-” Solas is about to step in, the familiar fury once again rising up, but Felicity just shakes her head to stop him. “I understand why. I know- _ I know _ \- you’re a good man with a bad past. It was wrong what you did, but I’m not going to kill you- anyone!- over that. Just- It  **can’t** happen again.  _ Promise me.  _ Don’t make others feel the same fear they put in you.”

Cullen’s mouth snaps shut, his jaw clenching as he’s overwhelmed with far too many emotions to work through. He gives her a solemn nod, and she mimics the motion. 

“Da’len, we are done for tonight. Any more and I truly fear your body will not be able to cope. Dáithí, if you could take her back to the cabin, I still have some information to discuss.” Felicity is quickly picked up, Dáithí not even questioning it. He starts the long walk back, the woman in his arms passing out only a few steps into the journey. 

Once Solas is sure that they are out of earshot, he turns to the people filling the clearing, the people his Felicity considered to be friends, family. At least most of them. None of them were fooled into thinking this was merely going to be a meeting about the Breach or the Fade. Solas’ expression was too severe for that.

“Felicity is risking her life for the Inquisition. She’s giving herself as bait against a would-be god and his corrupted dragon. If word gets out about her foreknowledge, she will have a target on her back for the rest of her life, even though her knowledge isn’t limitless. She is running herself into the  _ ground _ because she cares so much for all of you! This-” Solas draws a sharp breath, trying to calm somewhat, to control his spirit that was already lashing out around him, roaring for retribution against those who continuously tried to hurt Felicity. 

“This was her decision; she wanted to share what she knew, even knowing there was a chance you wouldn’t believe her—a chance you would attack, brand her a heretic, a traitor. I will stand by her because that is what is right. Because she is good and kind and innocent. She represents- embodies- everything the people should be fighting for, everything the Breach is taking from this world. And I will not tolerate any more attacks against her. You don’t have to love her, you don’t even have to like her, but she has earned the same level of respect and decency that everyone else here is afforded.”

“I-”

“No, Leliana, this is not a debate, this is not a conversation. Felicity is-”

“She’s a threat to mages and non-mages alike. When the Chantry learns of this-” Vivienne spits her words like venom, and the very ground beneath their feet shakes as Solas lets out an animalistic growl, blue magic filling the air around him.

“I was going to say, I agree. There is more at stake here, but more than that, I have my answers. I won’t apologize for my actions." Leliana holds her head high, steady eyes locked onto Solas', and true to her words, she didn't regret a single thing she'd done. "I was tasked with protecting the Inquisition from threats in the shadows, and Felicity- hiding as she was- certainly made the list. I was doing my job, and I will continue to do so. I can’t say I’ll trust her until I can verify all that she’s said, but I won’t openly attack her any longer.” 

Josephine nearly falls over from relief at Leliana’s words. The Ambassador can’t even count how many conversations they’d had regarding Felicity, none of them ending as she hoped. But finally, it seemed like things may smooth out. Trust had been broken, lines had been crossed, and Felicity was right, there was no going back. But they didn’t need to be in such open conflict with each other. 

Solas, still angry at Vivienne, turns his eyes to the Spymaster for a moment to study her. She was good at her job, and she had the ability to lie as few others could. That being said, there was nothing Solas could see in her that pointed to her speaking more lies. There was a calculating gleam in her eyes, and once this fight was over, he had no doubt she would question Felicity until everything was explained in great detail. 

“Enchanter.” Solas snaps, drawing everyone’s gaze back to him. “You may think whatever you like regarding Felicity. But you should be careful how you speak. If you continue to threaten and push and snap at her, it won’t be me you will need to be worried about. Felicity may be kind, and innocent, and young, but she isn’t naive, and she has her limits. She  _ is  _ dangerous, as we all are. She is dangerous to those who threaten the Inquisition, who threaten this world, who threaten her friends. And she will use every bit of her knowledge to protect that which she has claimed.”

With that warning hanging in the air, Solas turns to follow after Dáithí, already the anxiety regarding Felicity’s current fragile state welling up within him. 

“You know, I really didn’t think shit could get any weirder, but clearly I was wrong.” Again Varric is the one to break the silence, his hands moving away from Bianca as the tension slowly bleeds out of the atmosphere. If it came down to a fight between the two mages, Varric didn’t need to think twice about whose side he would be on.

Not that Chuckles would need the help.

“Do you think she can turn into any animal?” Bull hadn’t paid any mind to the bickering mages, his eye following Felicity and Dáithí until they vanished from sight. This was a lot to take in...

“Who knows, maybe. Why?”

“Just picture it. An armored Great Bear going into battle! Or an armored dragon! They mayhem she could cause!” Bull is only partially faking his excitement, and he so badly wanted to try facing Felicity as a dragon, but he was also trying to weigh the pros and cons of what all he should send back in his reports. This whole situation, and Felicity, in particular, wouldn’t be looked at in a good light back in Par Vollen. He could try and hide it, but no doubt the world would hear of the coming battle, and if they had a giant white dragon on their side, that would be the first thing everyone gossips about. 

Bull eventually decides on the walk back there won’t really be time to send a report with how busy they’ll be in the coming days. The Ben Hassrath will find out soon enough about everything here; he has to focus on the job at hand. 

But if Felicity pulled any more of those ‘let me tell you everything I know about you’ stunts, he was going to have to talk to her.

That creeped the fuck out of him.


	19. Chapter 19

“Don’t go.” Felicity tries to open her eyes as Dáithí sets her down on the bed, but her body doesn’t respond. She’s lucky her voice worked.

“I won’t, da’ean. Go back to sleep.” Her whole arm shakes as she tries to reach out for him, Dáithí sitting on the edge and takes ahold of her hand as she passes out once again. Right now, Solas was no doubt arguing with the others over Felicity’s treatment, and a part of him wished he could have stayed just to see their faces. 

Dáithí’s gaze fell to Felicity’s face, which was still pinched up, her body suffering, even if she wasn’t conscious to feel it. 

In a lot of ways, she reminded him of Aithana. The way she would question him about the most random things, the excitement of finding interesting rocks or pretty flowers, the kindness that overlooked race and gender and social standing. She saw everyone as people, and there was a goodness that she was determined to find in them, even when others were convinced of quite the opposite. 

But Aithana had been shy, quiet around those she didn’t know. And once trust was broken with the small child, it was almost impossible to repair the damage. For one so young, his daughter certainly knew how to hold a grudge. Dáithí smiles even as his heart aches at the memories that rise up. 

Elianne, one of the other hunters in the clan, had been giving Maris grief over who she married, going so far as to call Aithana a half breed shem, a disgrace. That woman didn’t know Aithana was in the room above them, listening to everything she said, and she proceeded to stumble down the stairs and run crying to her grandfather, who just so happened to be the Keeper. Elianne knew Maris wouldn’t say anything, his wife would rather have taken the harsh words and moved on, she never wanted to cause a scene. The same couldn’t be said of little Aithana, who wouldn’t stand for anyone talking bad about her family. And though Elianne quickly sputtered apologies on how it was a misunderstanding, none believed her. In the year that followed, Aithana made sure to glare at the woman every time she saw her, running to Keeper Passehl every time Elianne even looked in Maris’ direction. 

For Aithana, there was hardly any forgive, and certainly, no forget. Dáithí could understand that, though, as he was similar.

But Felicity, she just seemed to give and give. If sincere apologies were given, forgiveness would follow. She wouldn’t forget, but she would move past it, work through it. Even when he and Solas wished she wouldn’t.

He thinks of the coming battle, hating the idea of using Felicity as bait as much as Solas. She looked so small right now, so fragile, it’s hard to imagine her facing down ancient magisters and fake archdemons. Felicity should be far away from Haven, from Corypheus. She should be safe, but she wasn’t going to let that happen. 

Dáithí doesn’t react as the door opens, Solas quickly enters and shuts the door before all the warmth leaves the small cabin. He just sighs, shaking his head as he continues to study Felicity.

“She’s still in pain.”

“She pushed herself too far. Her spirit, her magic, was damaged by not only what happened in the dark future, but also the trip itself seemed to affect her more than either Dorian or Acacia. There hasn’t been a chance for her to properly rest, to recover. One transformation would have been fine, but doing multiple, in such quick succession, pushed her body over the edge.” 

“She is determined to fight.” Solas’ eyes slide shut at Dáithí’s words, pausing for a moment over the chest he was digging through.

“I know.”

“You will let her?”

“I could not stop her even if I tried. You know this as well as I.”

“She shouldn’t have to.”

“No, she truly shouldn’t.” Both men let silence fill the room as each is trying even now to think up a way to keep Felicity as far from Corypheus as possible. 

They come up empty-handed.

“Will she be ready? Her magic?”

“I do not know. They are making plans to close the Breach in two days. I will do what I can to help Felicity regain her strength, but she will need to rest, and I am not certain the others will let that happen.” With a stern frown, Dáithí stands, letting Solas take his spot as he starts giving her what potions he had to help heal the damage done to her spirit. 

“I’ll make sure they’re all aware. And listen.” Once Dáithí is gone, Panelan quickly scurries out of the coat pocket Solas had been keeping him in. A flicker of magic makes sure that anyone peeking in the windows would see nothing out of the ordinary before he shifts back to normal, immediately falling into a nearby chair.

“I have no words, Solas.”

“I told you she was extraordinary.”

“Extraordinary is what you can do, sometimes what I can do. What Felicity does, that’s impossible, but here she is doing it anyways.”

“She does not know it’s not possible, she is not bound by our standards. Felicity simply does, she imagines what she wants, and her will and her magic respond. If her body was used to channeling magic- if her mana pool was as large as mine, or even other mages of this time… she could reign over all of Thedas if she wanted. Did you know she can scry on people? If she wanted, she could tell you exactly what the Empress of Orlais was doing this very moment. The better she knows the person, the easier it is for her to find them. She has spells- shouts she calls them- that can create cyclones, that can clear the skies, that can drain a target of their lifeforce, that can show her the location of all living creatures within a large area, that can call forth what looks like animal spirits to fight for her. She can create a dome of safety, a little bubble that only those she allowed to enter could pass through. Even my magic couldn’t break through when I tried. She can reverse gravity in an area, sending anyone and anything flying into the air. She can teleport both short distances and as far as other countries if she knows where she is going. She can cast illusions so believable they could fool even the best of us. She is able to bring people back from the brink of death, even the most grievous wounds healed with but a flick of the wrist. She can create food and water, the elements and nature bend to her will. She can speak with animals or anyone else for that matter, her spells translating it all. But even with all her power, sending her up against Corypheus is- I-” Solas chokes off, gritting his teeth as he tries to work through the terror gripping his chest. “Her spirit reaches out for mine, echoes it as easily as she can breathe. She made me promise to stay away during the battle- to lead the Inquisition to Skyhold. I thought nothing of it, giving my word, I didn’t think she would- that she could-” 

“She followed your spirits lead, she made it a binding promise.” Panelan pales, such magic wasn’t done lightly; even back in the days of Arlathan, it was rarely done. It was dangerous magic, as old as time, and it affected the Evanuris- the First Born in general- more than most as they were created from such ancient powers. “Oh, Solas…”

“I was going to watch over her at least, but now- now I’ll have to abandon her to that creature.” The pain was almost unbearable, Solas slumping over as he’s crushed by guilt. 

“Does she know?”

“How could she?”

“What are you going to do?”

“The only thing I can do. I have to keep my word; Felicity will be facing Corypheus alone.” Panelan slumps back in the chair, staring at the ceiling, resigned. The promise had been made, until it was fulfilled, there was nothing he could do to try and help his friend. 

“Maybe they will think of another way.” It sounds weak even to his ears, and he winces at Solas’ bitter laugh.

“It’s fitting that the woman I love must be the one to sacrifice herself to fix mistakes wrought by my own hands.”

“Solas…” Both men freeze as Felicity’s voice whispers through the air. Solas feels his heart stop for a moment. She didn’t know, for whatever reason, who and what he really was. If she found out now- 

All the fear melts away when they look to see her still unconscious, though her face is pained, tears streaming down her cheeks as she continues to whimper.

“Solas, please… I’m sorry… Please, no, please stop… Don’t hurt him!” Felicity wakes with a scream, her entire body seizing as she gasps for air, eyes unseeing as her mind tries to keep up. Solas tentatively reaches for her, taking hold of her shoulders to try and limit her shaking, but that just sets her off further. “NO!” The shaking gets worse, Felicity practically having a seizure on the bed as Solas tries to keep her from hurting herself further.

“Shh, Felicity, shh! It’s me, it’s okay.” Solas gasps as his spirit connects with Felicity’s, she is in such pain, the cracks and gaps only seeming to grow. “It’s getting worse.” Solas groans, Panelan moving closer. Felicity was so out of it, she wouldn’t be able to see or remember him being there. Panelan physically jumps back, choking on his words as he gets a look at her quickly deteriorating spirit.

“Solas, this is killing her. Whatever echoes remained of the magic sent them to and from the future has latched onto her. It’s eating away at her spirit, worming its way into the weakest sections.”

“I’m not a spirit healer, I can’t- Thelris still hasn’t woken?”

“Not yet. If you two were bound-”

“She’s not even lucid! How is she supposed to do that? I won’t take away her choice-”

“You said she already started the process when she tried to heal your spirit. You told me how the first time she found your spirit, she tried to do it then. The choice has been made, whether you two acknowledge it or not. If we wake her up, her spirit can follow yours, like she normally does. After you’re together, the change in her should be enough to displace the spell effects clinging to her. I could then remove it, and she could recover. You both could. I know how broken your spirit has been since waking, Solas. You need this too.”

“They’ll come for her.”

“People are coming for her regardless. At least this way, she’ll be alive when they get to her, she can fight.” Her delirious fighting gets worse and worse, and Solas finally nods to Panelan. “Okay, this is going to be… hard. Prepare yourself.”

“Shh, _‘ma vhenan,_ it’s going to be okay.” Solas murmurs as he moves to sit more on the bed, shifting Felicity into his lap. “Her body and spirit are going to fight, one is trying to keep her unconscious to recover, one is trying to wake her up to heal. That’s what’s causing her such pain.”

“Focus Solas, she will be okay. I’ll wake her up, keep her awake, you need to start the moment she’s conscious.”

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, my love,” Solas whispers to Felicity as he drops a kiss on the top of her head. “Do it.” Panelan nods, warm orange magic filling his eyes, replacing the deep green he usually had. As Felicity is pulled from her mental break, she’s met with pain as she’d never felt. For a moment, she couldn’t even breathe, as just beyond the pain was this twisting pressure in her chest, her heart skipping beats as it races. 

“S-Solas?” 

“Shh. Felicity, I’m right here. It’s going to be okay.”

_“It hurts!”_

“I know. But it’s going to stop soon. Can you find me, Felicity? I need you to reach out to me.” Her spirit lashes out within her, desperate to try and heal her body all while it fights back, not wanting any more magic directed through her.

“Wh-what’s going on, Solas?!”

“I can explain it later, _vhen’an,_ but right now, I really need you to try and reach your spirit out to me.”

“Okay.” She whimpers, hiccuping as she continues to sob, closing her eyes to try and focus on something other than the pain and pressure, the warring state of her body and magic. “I can’t- I can’t- it’s not- I-” 

“Shh da’len, you can. I know you can.”

_“It’s not working!”_

With a sigh Solas tosses caution to the wind, pulling her face up and kissing her for all he’s worth.

This was going to hurt.

Solas presses his spirit forward, ignoring the attacks sent his way by hers, kissing her through the pain as she tries to force him out. What used to be bright and warm and sweet was now dull. Broken. In pain. Gone was the cinnamon and vanilla and sunshine, and that broke Solas. 

He knows the moment Felicity recognizes his spirit, all at once freezing up before going slack in his arms with a choked off sob. Her spirit scrambles forward, his magic washing over her like cold water over a burn. The pain was still there, burning through her veins and pounding in her skull, but the wrenching in her chest ceased. 

“That’s it, Felicity, that’s it. Keep going.” He starts to cry as he feels the extent of the damage done, the very heart of her magic, her power, herself, is broken and scarred. Solas is the same, he has been for a long time, but that was to be expected given who he was, what he was. Someone like Felicity should not have to suffer like this!

“I can’t- I’m not supposed to go further- you don’t- you didn’t want to-” A new pain rises to the surface, but this one Solas can fix right this moment.

“Felicity, look at me.” He waits until she has her eyes open, his hands framing her face. “There is _nothing_ I want more.” The truth of that statement shakes Solas to the core. He finally wanted something for himself. Not for his friends or family, not for the People, just for him. And he wanted it badly. 

It’s hard for Felicity to focus through everything, but she can make out his eyes, the truth shining there. 

“You do.” It wasn’t a question, and her voice was shaking for a different reason now. 

“I do.” She sucks in a short breath, and Solas- even as he weathers the pain of her desperate spirit- can’t help but smile. He knows that was a part of wedding vows on Earth or the end of them, he wasn’t confident where they would fall in the process. Felicity would always get too embarrassed to really get into it. 

“Okay.” She whispers, Solas nodding before pressing forward, Felicity was still deteriorating. He kisses her again as his spirit starts to wrap around her broken heart. The pain fades away as Felicity focuses everything on looking for him. 

Her mind starts to get hazy. The further she goes, all of her other senses falling away as she gets lost in him. Solas is talking, at least she thinks so, but she can’t hear a single word. And instead of focusing on that, she just continues forward, using her spirit to fill the cracks in his.

Finally, her spirit stops fighting him, the tension he’s been holding in his shoulders as he tries to suffer in silence at last bleeding away. Solas falls forward to press kisses to the side of her neck. She starts to glow, they both do as Solas begins the spell to bind them together. It takes a moment, but soon her spirit is mirroring his, her magic rising up to copy the spell. 

Just a little bit longer, and they could put this all behind them. 

Panelan, no longer having to worry about keeping Felicity awake, gathers his magic, preparing to destroy the foreign spell that had become a parasite. It had to have been intentional, these kinds of effects didn’t just happen by accident. He just hoped that whoever created the spell was either dead or imprisoned and didn’t have time to share his spell with others. 

It wasn’t a gradual process. Once the spell formed, it snapped to life, binding Felicity and Solas together. The light that surrounded them flared, blinding Panelan for a moment as they were joined. Ancient elven appear on their skin as the light condenses to form the letters and words, the script trailing up from their hands to their neck, both lines of runes meeting at the back of their neck at the base of their skulls. 

The foreign magic is pushed into the air surrounding the pair, Panelan moving quickly to catch it. Now that he can study it without Felicity’s own spirit in the way, he can feel a familiar corruption within it, a shimmer of red. Had they somehow used red lyrium in casting? Or possibly drawn power from it?

That bodes poorly.

The moment the spell is finished, Felicity passes out once again, her body and spirit have been utterly spent. Solas ends up falling against the wall the bed was pushed up against, his arms tightening around Felicity as everything settled. His unfocused eyes are wide, breaths coming in short and fast as he tries to come to terms with what happened and the changes he can already feel within himself. 

Felicity had described his spirit as a calm, crystalline sea. Controlled. But just under the surface, there had always been fiercer aspects of himself that were kept largely hidden. His desire to know, to understand, to learn; a need so desperate he can’t even begin to count the number of times he put it above his own personal safety. His pride had been largely dealt with since waking, since seeing what he caused by thinking he alone had the answers, that he could fix everything just like that. But it would still rear its ugly head from time to time. Thoughts and ideas were always constantly buzzing through his mind, his spirit shifting and testing within as he would try new spells. It was rare that his mind and spirit were quiet, were genuinely serene, but now, that’s precisely what he felt.

He was still himself, still curious and desperate for knowledge, he was still prideful in his ideas and abilities, but there was a new constant warmth in his chest, grounding him. Where there had been damage done to his spirit now glowed a white gold. Every breath he took, he could feel her, her magic mixed perfectly with his own. Warm where his was cool, light where his was dark, soft where his was rough. 

The sea within him, the glittering crystal waves now glinted gold, the warmth and peace Felicity brought him was finally a part of everything he was.

“Solas?”

“I can feel her.”

“That’s good, you are supposed to. If I may?” Panelan reaches out with his spirit, waiting for Solas to nod before taking a moment to examine both him and Felicity. As he had predicted, the change in their souls from joining displaced all of the parasitic magic, Panelan beyond thankful that the only thing he could find was the two of them. “That was remarkably fast.”

“I haven’t felt this- this safe, whole, complete since before the- b-before the-”

“The Great Wars, I know. They had you for too long, when we finally got you back, I- I honestly wasn’t sure you’d survive.”

“I didn’t. I wasn’t the same, not for a long time. It wasn’t until the Evanuris started to try and rise to godhood that I felt I could return to myself. And by then it was too late to stop them from destroying The People in their greed, as they did yours.”

“Thelris and Virdi are going to be upset that they missed it. Well, Thelris will be more shocked that someone wanted to be bound to you.” Solas’ laugh is unsteady at Panelan’s words, his emotions still trying to settle after the roller coaster they’d been through.

“Felicity will have to find out.”

“Yes.”

“I should tell her before then.”

“Yes.” Panelan nods solemnly to both statements, knowing without a doubt that it would be better if she learned from him and not through someone else. He also had no doubt that after the shock, Felicity would be okay. Solas was convinced otherwise, but there was hardly any going back from this.

“After the battle, after we get to Skyhold. By the stars, I’m going to be bound to her as she fights.” He groans, tightening her arms around Felicity, his spirit roaring within at the thought of abandoning her.

“You will at least be able to watch her.”

“Through her eyes? That is worse than not knowing.” Solas shakes his head moments after the words leave his lips. “No, it’s not, but I- I don’t know if I can keep myself from going to her, not now, not so soon.”

“You don’t have a choice, my friend.” Solas slides back so he’s lying on the bed with Felicity still in his arms, groaning because he knows Panelan is right. The promise had been made, he had to keep it. “Rest, you need it almost as badly as she does.”

Solas doesn’t need to be told twice, his eyes easily falling shut as he drifts off to sleep in moments. Surprisingly, he doesn’t walk the Fade like he usually does, sleeping deeper than he has in months, genuinely resting as the last of the binding spell settles within.

~~~~~

“Fuck…” Not the first word Solas thought he would hear that morning, but he supposed it could have been worse. It could have been screaming, or crying- dead silence would have been the worst. “I haven’t slept that good since nap time in kindergarten.” Felicity does her little morning stretches, her body stiff from remaining mostly motionless for the last fourteen hours. 

It takes a few more minutes before she can scrape together the wherewithal to force her eyes open, not at all surprised to see bright sunlight coming in through the windows. 

“Solas?”

“Good morning, Felicity.”

“... Did I find my limit?”

“Something like that, yes.” With another groan and a great deal of effort, she rolls onto her side, half resting against Solas, looking up at him with worried, timid eyes trying to gauge his mood. 

“Are you mad?”

“No, I’m not mad, _vhen’an.”_

“I feel pretty damn good, though.” Solas hums in response, trying to figure out how to broach the subject of what happened last night, as she clearly didn’t remember. Not that he honestly expected her to be able to recall anything through the agony she was suffering. 

“What else do you feel?”

“Um… like, light. Peaceful. Whole?” Felicity’s brow furrows as she continues to focus on herself. “Oh, I can feel my spirit now, I couldn’t really do that before. I didn’t think I tasted sharp? I thought you said cinnamon and vanilla for me; you were the one who tasted sharp, tasted like how cold smells… Solas, what happened last night?” The more she searches, the more of Solas she can find, and as she pushes her own emotions to the side, she feels someone else’s rising to the surface. Worry. Fear. Shame. Guilt. But under it all such peace and happiness. 

“Solas?” Her voice shakes as Felicity forces herself to push herself up, looking down at the man who was all too quiet. 

“There were lingering effects of the spell that Alexius used, they clung to your spirit, eating away at the very heart of your power, yourself. Twice you were subjected to them, and they wormed their way into your already weakened spirit. It was killing you, and when you pushed yourself too far last night, the spell very nearly succeeded in taking you.”

“But it didn’t.”

“No, it didn’t. I couldn’t separate the parasitic magic from you, it was already too well-rooted. The only way I could destroy it was if your spirit dislodged it enough for me to get a hold of it. And in turn, the only way your spirit- as weak as it was- could do that was if it changed.”

“And?”

“I started the process as you had on several occasions, I found your heart, your center, and I began to bind us. Your spirit followed suit, you were barely lucid enough to form coherent sentences, but you managed to create the spell in mere moments. After it was completed, the parasite had nothing to cling to, no cracks to worm its way into, and I was able to destroy it.” Solas studies her as silence fills the cabin, taking care not to go searching for her emotions, not to go looking for the spirit that was now linked with him. She deserved time to process this, it was a lot to take in.

Tears he expected, what he didn’t expect was the guilt so intense it washed over into him from her, taking his breath away.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean- I didn’t know- you- I made you magically marry me! You didn’t want to! God Solas, you should have just let me die-”

“Felicity!” Solas’ stern voice, louder than usual, stops her blubbering, though the tears continue to fall. “First of all, you didn’t make me do anything. You _couldn’t_ have made me do anything. If anything, I made you do all this. Secondly, do not dare say that I should have let you die. That is absolutely unacceptable and it pains me to even have you suggest it. And lastly, there is not a single part of me that didn’t want this. Do you hear me, Felicity? I do not know where this idea that I do not want you came from, but it is utterly ridiculous! I truly do not know what I am going to do if I want you any more than I already do.”

“You’re gonna regret it-”

“No, I won’t- _I don’t._ Do you?” Solas would be hurt by her reaction if he couldn’t feel how happy she was underneath the shock of guilt. 

“No.” She whimpers, looking torn between running away and falling into his arms. 

Solas decides to help her choose. 

He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her down into his chest, sighing with a small smile as her sobs grow louder. His little light in this world was too precious for words. 

There isn’t any searching out he has to do to find her spirit anymore, she is simply there, and Solas soothes her as he gently rubs circles into her back. His quiet humming catches her attention, and Felicity quickly calms so she can listen to the simple but lovely melody. 

“...I can feel you now, without looking for you or anything.”

“And what do you feel?”

“You’re happy.” The words catch in her throat as emotions once again threaten to send her into tears.

“I’m more than merely happy, _‘ma vhen’an._ ” It takes hardly any effort at all to open himself up to her completely, letting her see exactly what he was feeling. “I am overjoyed. Ecstatic. I am at peace in ways I haven’t been in so long it’s hard to remember just how many years it’s been. I am humbled that one as bright and lovely and wonderful as you deemed me worthy of being bound to you. I am so thankful that you are alive and well, that I no longer have to worry about someone sweeping you off your feet while I’m not looking.”

“Oh god, you are. You don’t hate me!”

“Quite the opposite, in fact.”

“I love you so much, Solas!”

“I know you do. And I love you just as much, my little miracle worker.”

For several hours they are content to lay there in silence, breaking the quiet every now and again with laughter as they figure out how this new bond works. 

Every emotion Felicity feels, Solas can feel just as keenly if he opens himself up to it, and vise versa. Once Felicity’s emotions have settled, he explains as best he can the differences in her magic, in his. His power acted as a stabilizer for her, keeping the magic from spiking as dangerously fast as it usually did, helping keep the damage to her physical body to a minimum. Her magic acted as an amplifier to his, boosting it to levels he hadn’t felt since he created the Veil. 

With practice, they should be able to communicate through the bond, at first it would be just simple ideas and feelings, but in time as it grew in strength, they should be able to speak through it. When Solas offhandedly says they should be able to see through each other’s eyes, that immediately catches Felicity’s attention.

“Seriously?! That’s so cool! Can we try? Please?” He was going to say that she needed to rest, that just because she felt alright didn’t mean they should push it, but when he looks down into her big puppy dog eyes, he’s helpless to resist.

“Alright, but afterward, you need to eat.”

“Deal!” Solas rolls his eyes as a smile tugs at his lips, sitting them both up before standing to sit down in the chair across the room. “Okay, okay, how do I do it-” Felicity cuts off with a gasp as suddenly everything shifts. The image of Solas sitting in the chair is gone, replaced with the picture of her sitting on the bed still half tangled in the blankets. Her mouth falls open, her hands rising as she waves them in front of her own eyes. “This is how you see me?” 

“That is how you are Felicity.”

It’s trippy to watch herself move and talk, but more so, it’s weird to connect that the beautiful woman on the bed is truly her. She knew she wasn’t hideous, and Felicity thought she definitely got prettier when she was made elven, but nothing like this. Even with her messy hair and rumpled clothes, she looked stunning, a soft, warm glow emanating from her entire body. Solas was clearly a little biased…

“It is not! I don’t glow!” Felicity watches as she shakes her head, laughing.

“You do. Before, it was just your spirit that would glow when you were happy, but now that seems to have changed. I do not know if it’s because of the bond or some side effect of the parasitic magic, but it is true regardless.”

“Shit, I’m sure the others are going to be thrilled about that.” She smiles at Solas’ little snort, all at once, her vision returning to herself.

“As if their opinions on the matter holds any weight.”

“When we do this, do we always have to switch?”

“No, you can see through my eyes without me needing to switch as well. I was just curious as to how I looked from your perspective. I think it is you who are biased, da’len.”

“Oh please, you’re hot, and you know it. I know you’ve got abs hiding under all those layers.” 

“I do, do I?”

“I mean, I haven’t seen them- _yet!_ \- but with how easily you swing me around, there’s no way you aren’t pretty well built under the comfy coats and sweaters.”

“You do know that you’re rather small, don’t you, da’len?”

“I’m not that small! I’m still a full-grown adult, most people can’t just pick others up and put them on top of harts.”

“Maybe not people from your Earth, but we would be hard-pressed to find a person here who couldn’t pick you up, Felicity.”

“Oh shut up.” Solas’ laughter fills the cabin as Felicity rolls her eyes, quickly launching herself across the room and into his lap, large blanket around her shoulders and all. “I don’t think _everyone_ could pick me up.” She mumbles into his shoulder, which only makes him laugh harder.

“Would you care to bet?”

“...no...” He presses a kiss to the top of her head, taking a few indulgent breaths of her spiced, slightly floral scent before standing up with her in his arms.

“What would you like to eat?”

“I’m honestly craving some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And Jello. And Kool-Aid. I don’t know why I’m suddenly craving what my childhood self ate every day each summer, but there you have it. Does Thedas have juice? You have to have juice, right?”

“Yes we have juice, though it is more of an item reserved for nobility. It’s expensive to keep it fresh.”

“Fair enough. You don’t have refrigerators and everyone’s too chicken to let mages keep things cold with ice magic.”

“Indeed.” Solas sits her down in a seat of her own, Felicity not missing the smirk he had as he felt how flustered she got. His wicked smile grows at the butterflies that flutter in her stomach as he shows her yet again just how easy it was for him to pick her up. “Please do not go overboard with your casting just yet, _ma’ fenorian,_ ” Solas mutters as he leaned down to kiss the tip of her ear.

“N-no promises.” Her cheeks flare as her magic sweeps out from her trembling hands and over the table. Several paper plates appear on the table, a pile of sandwiches cut into various childish shapes soon joining them. A bowl of multi-colored jello cubes is next to appear. Red solo cups with both her and Solas’ name written in sharpie on them and a pitcher of grape Kool-Aid finish the meal. 

Felicity’s embarrassment is gone in an instant as she reaches for one of the sandwiches, delighted to see all of them cut in the shapes of different dinosaurs. Her favorites were the brontosaurus’ and as Solas looked over them, asking questions about what exactly they were supposed to be, they got onto the subject of the ancient animals from Earth. 

The PB&J sandwiches are gone almost as quickly as they appeared, Solas not at all thrilled with the Kool-Aid.

“It’s too sweet, how are you drinking it?”

“It’s delicious, that’s how!” Felicity is about to defend her favorite childhood drink as she starts to eat the Jello, but Solas’ confused and slightly concerned expression at the gelatinous food is enough to have her bent over in tears laughing. “Try one!”

“No!” Her laughter only grows as Solas physically recoils when she holds out one of the orange cubes to him. “What is it?”

“Jello! Flavored water- like juice cubes! ...okay, that sounds pretty unappetizing, but they’re good, I promise!” Felicity reaches out for his arm, pulling it up so she could place the Jello in his hand. “Just try it!” He looks so offended by the wiggly cube in his hand, and Solas tries to remain completely still to stop it from shaking. 

“I do not think-” Fast as lightning, Felicity, with another jello cube in hand, leans across the small distance and pops the Jello right into his open mouth. In a heartbeat, his mouth snaps shut, his eyes slowly turning to where Felicity sat with bated breath. The disgust in his face only grows as he carefully chews, forcing himself to swallow. “That was vile.”

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad. Is it the texture?”

“That also was unpleasant. What fruit was that supposed to be?”

“Purple, so grape.”

“That was _not_ grape!”

“Well, artificial grape. You wanna try orange flavor? Maybe you’ll like that better.”

“I do not want to try **any** other color. Maybe not anything you create ever again.”

“Now you’re just being dramatic.” Felicity laughs as she continues to happily eat her Jello. “Alright, now that we’ve eaten, we need to go help plan-”

“No.”

“Solas, they’re closing the Breach tomorrow, I can help-”

“You’ve shared what you can, you’ve shown them what you are going to distract Corypheus with, the rest is up to them. They can handle this, you need to rest. You cannot face Corypheus at anything less than full health, I will not allow it.”

“Solas, I’m fine-”

“Felicity, you almost died last night. You almost died going to the future, you almost died coming back. You’ve spread yourself so thin you’ve made yourself sick. You _need_ to rest because you _need_ to survive, you have to make it to Skyhold.” Felicity pauses at his words, as she feels the overwhelming worry in him at the coming battle, the terror from last night’s fiasco. 

“Okay, I’ll rest for today, but tomorrow I’m going to help.” Solas opens his mouth to argue some more, but Felicity quickly continues. “You can stalk me the whole day if that helps. You can make sure I don’t do anything too strenuous and make sure I eat and drink water and whatever else you feel like I should have, but I need to be there and help. Please.”

“I’m going to be a menace.” Solas, not wanting to fight over this, lets the subject go, standing as he takes her hand to lead her back to the bed. The combination of his gentle teasing, soft smile, and the comfort of his spirit calming hers sends Felicity into tears again. 

“Ha! Like you aren’t already.” Her laugh is wobbly as she follows his lead, falling onto the small mattress with him.

“You haven’t begun to see how much of a menace I can be, _vhen’an._ ” With a kiss to her forehead, he relaxes, letting peaceful silence fill the room as sleep once again takes Felicity. She may feel good, but her body still needed time to recover, to repair the damage that was done. 

It was going to be a long day tomorrow, and the night tomorrow would only be worse.


	20. Chapter 20

"They are going to hate this whole 'I'm gonna glow when I'm happy shit.'" Felicity mutters as she looks at herself in the reflection of the glass window, examining herself and the new magical glow that she had. "Do I look darker when I'm depressed? Blue when I'm sad? Red when angry?"

"I'm sure we'll find out in time. You still have the bracelet I made you?"

"I haven't taken it off even once."

"Good. That'll make it easier for you to find us later after…" 

"After I kick Corypheus' ass?" She supplies with a cocky grin, pushing her own anxiety into the far corners of her mind. Felicity can feel his worry, his guilt over leaving her behind, his rage at Corypheus, each and every one making her more determined to make it out of this alive. 

"You're going to be the death of me."

"Yeah, maybe after, say, eighty years of exposure, I think you're right."

"Only eighty?"

"You're right, it'll probably be more like ninety. I plan on being the sweetest old lady, the kind that everyone always wishes was their grandma and has hard candies to give out no matter where or when. Does Thedas have hard candies? If not, I'll just invent them. Maybe after the Inquisition saves the world, we can open a candy store! You like frilly cakes, right? We could sell those too."

"How did you know I like frilly cakes?"

"It was one of the few times I had you in the party. You and Blackwall were talking about Orlais, I think? You were telling everyone what it was like forever ago and how it's better now and that you liked their cakes. I laughed so hard I got distracted and ended up walking off one of the ledges in Emprise du Lion. It was a pain hiking back to where I had been."

"Usually, people would be more upset about falling from a cliff."

"Meh, I was alright, just used a potion and I was good to go. I'm taking this sweater for the road!" Felicity quickly pulls one of his shirts from his pack, pulling it over her own, grinning at Solas when her head pops through, her hair remaining trapped still. 

"Do I get to pick what I want to take for the road?" He purrs as he pulls Felicity close, peppering kisses all over her face as she giggles and blushes.

"Sure, but I don't think anything I have is going to fit you."

"That's true, maybe I should give you something else then." Before she can question him, the sharp sting of his teeth on her neck takes her breath away. It lasts but a moment, his tongue washing over it, soothing the abused skin before continuing to kiss, suck, and bite a suitable mark into being on full display against her pale skin. "That should suffice." His low whisper has Felicity shaking in his arms, gasping for breath as he holds her tight against him. 

"You, good sir, are going to make us late for the meeting." Even as she says that Felicity pulls him down for another kiss. And another. And another. "But feel free to-"

"-Never stop?" He finishes for her, chuckling at her delighted smile. She had been sure to tell him each and every time things got heated that he had her full permission to never stop, that she would die happy if she died kissing him for the rest of forever. 

"What a lovely suggestion, I agree wholeheartedly." Before they can make good on that suggestion, someone knocks at the door, Felicity rolling her eyes as she pulls back.

"You're the one who wanted to go help plan, _vhen'an._ I wanted to stay in all day."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm the worst. Come on, I wanna make sure everyone is ready for Cole." Today was going to be horrible and stressful and probably just the worst, but she would get Cole out of it, so it wasn't all bad news. 

True to his word, Solas is a menace as he follows Felicity around. Anytime she looks tired or winded, he has her sitting, he makes sure she eats and drinks and doesn't cast anything too terribly much. He's quick to direct her in different directions when Leliana or Cullen or Templars in their clanking armor appear. Felicity was mostly okay with talking to Cullen and Leliana so long as she remained focused on the subject at hand, so long as they kept the large table between them. It's when they would startle her or get too close that her anxiety would spike, sometimes reaching levels where Solas almost couldn't function either. 

As new as it was, their bond was quickly becoming something Solas was surprised he could have ever lived without. No matter how far away she might have been physically, having her spirit there within him was so reassuring when he needed to leave her side and help the rebel mages. Solas wouldn't be joining them to close the Breach, he wouldn't leave Felicity, not now. The mages needed to learn how to help the Herald close the Breach, and Solas taught them with scary efficiency.

Halfway through the day, as Felicity tries to show Cullen and Rylen where exactly the troops would be coming from, Panelan comes walking up to them, immediately noticing Felicity's discomfort. He ends up putting himself between her and the others, playfully nudging her to distract her.

"I was worried you got lost in the forest." He pulls back, managing to look hurt by her words, and makes a show of turning to leave. "I'm sorry, I was kidding! I know you'd never get lost." Felicity giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep him there, grounding herself as she feels his soft fur beneath her fingers.

"Um… Lady Felicity, where did you say the leader would be standing?" She pulls back enough to lean around Panelan, looking where Cullen was still doing his best not to look at her. 

"Up there. Sampson will be with him, maybe Calpernia, too, she wasn't in Redcliffe. We can't cause an avalanche too soon, we need to try and get as many of the Red Templars as possible caught in it. As soon as that happens, though, we need people to start leaving. If we can get everyone to follow in a somewhat orderly fashion, if we keep them from getting lost in the adrenaline and fear, we can save so many lives. Once everyone is out, it'll be my turn." 

Cullen looks up at her soft words, the steely determination there even though it is hardly above a whisper. It didn't feel right leaving her behind to fend for herself and use her as bait while they ran, but there was little they could do. She, at least, knew what was coming, she had the best chance of surviving this if it went sideways.

When Felicity's eyes catch on someone behind them, she takes off running, startling the men with her and Panelan. They reach for their weapons, Panelan's magic rising up ready for anything, but instead of a spy or an attacker, Felicity throws herself at Dáithí.

"I've been looking everywhere for you! Where have you been?"

"Getting things ready, da'ean." He easily catches her, the heavy stone of worry he'd been carrying around these last days finally lifting as he sees her alive and well and back to her usual energetic self. 

"You need to help Solas when he leads people to Skyhold. There are going to be assholes who aren't going to want to listen to a knife ear, and I need you to be his backup in case they get any bright ideas in their heads about going after him."

"He doesn't need any help when it comes to protecting himself-"

"Please, Dáithí, I just need you both to be safe." She begs, looking up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. 

"There are so many other things you need to be worrying about, Felicity. Your safety first and foremost."

"I'm going to be okay! I am! You need to be okay too because if I get to Skyhold and you aren't there with your grumpy frown and intimidating presence, I'm going to have to try my hand at necromancy, and that shit freaks me the fuck out. Please, Dáithí, if you don't go, I'm going to be distracted the whole fight wondering where you are, if you're okay, if I'm ever going to see you again."

"You don't fight fair, Felicity."

"Isn't that what you taught me?" She laughs, hastily scrubbing at her tears as she smiles up at him. That was as close to an agreement as she was going to get, and she was going to take it.

"That's true. Come on, it's time for dinner."

"I'm not that hungry-" His stern expression has Felicity snapping her mouth shut and following after him, Panelan instep behind them, which looked more than a little weird, not that they cared. 

When Solas appears next to them, quickly falling into step next to Felicity as he takes her hand, she startles, though a smile still lights her face. 

"I thought you were helping the rebel mages?"

"Everything is in place, the Herald is heading to close the Breach as we speak."

"Don't you have to be there?"

"No. I have taught them what they need to do, Fiona will lead them." The nervous energy in Felicity spikes as she realizes just how close they are to In Your Heart Shall Burn. Solas' spirit is quick to rise up, soothing over hers as he squeezes her hand. "We can still-"

"No, I'm fine. It's just- you know how you get nervous before giving a speech or performing in front of people, and it seems like it's going to ruin the whole thing? But then while you're doing whatever it was that was freaking you out, everything is quiet, calm, and you realized afterward that it was okay all along? That's what I've got."

"Felicity-"

"What's for dinner?" She interrupts Dáithí, knowing that his concern over her was going to make her cry again, and right now, that was precisely what she didn't want to do. She needed to remain strong.

"Stew. They packed up the rest of the food for the journey to Skyhold. I'm sure we could find some bread for you if you wanted it."

"Nah, I'm good. We're going to need everything for the trip. Can we eat out here? I wanna sit with Panelan for a while." The hart nudges Solas in agreement, and he just rolls his eyes.

"I'm sure that will be fine. But no sugar cubes." He and Dáithí head into the rather packed kitchens in search of food, Felicity taking a seat on a nearby box, leaning into Panelan who makes himself comfortable on the ground. 

"He didn't say anything about apples." 

Panelan snorts as Felicity holds out a bright red apple to him, quickly eating it before nudging her again, almost pushing her off the box. Her laughter fills the air, drawing attention from passers-by, though none dare approach with Panelan so close. Once she's settled again, she reaches for him, one hand on either side of his large head, her smile falling from her face as a serious tone comes over her.

"I hope you're good at traveling in snow, I need you to take Solas away from here. I know he wants to stay and help, but he has to go and lead everyone. The faster we get to Skyhold, the more lives we can save. I also know you can't understand me, but this makes me feel better, so thanks."

Panelan carefully rests his head in her lap, taking care not to hit her with his antlers, offering what comfort he can. There was so much resting on her shoulders, so much that shouldn't be her problem to deal with, but it was there regardless. 

It was going to be a long night until she made it back to them.

~~~~~

Felicity stands at the gate, the heavy wooden doors shut for the time being. Behind her, people bustle about making last-minute preparations as they wait for the blade to drop, for Corypheus to show himself. 

Acacia and the Advisors all stand behind her, everyone's eyes trained on the mountains around them, waiting, and waiting, and waiting. This was the worst part, and as night began to fall, Felicity began to worry that she'd changed too much, shared too much. Maybe Corypheus had spies in the Inquisition already, maybe they warned him of what they were planning, maybe she'd doomed them all. 

"You already know." Felicity whips her head about when at the soft voice behind her, Cole standing there, piercing blue eyes locked on her. "You know me, smol bean spirit boy… I'm early?"

"Cole!" He doesn't react as Felicity quickly closes the distance, pulling him into a hasty hug before stepping back to get a good look at him. She leans forward a little to better see him under his floppy hat as the others take warry steps forward. He hadn't walked in, he just appeared in front of them, and that unsettled all of them.

"I came to help, but you're here, helping, hoping, Maker, please let it be the same…" Cole's eyes unfocus, his voice getting even softer as he reads Felicity like an open book. "It's going to hurt you, but you still want it the same."

"I'll be okay. Cole, sweetheart, I need you to go help now, okay? There's loads of people here who need help." He searches her soul for another quick moment before nodding.

"Yes." Just like that, he's gone, Felicity left facing the other.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road, we've got some mayhem to cause." Felicity nods to Bull, Varric, and Blackwall, who take their places next to her, all of them ready to kick some ass. "Cullen, get everyone out. You only fire that flare once everyone is out, once they're back." She motions to those who would be helping her load and fire the trebuchets. 

"You have my word." Cullen bows his head before turning and barking orders, soldiers and recruits jumping into action as they start to evacuate. 

_"I love you Solas, I'll see you in a bit. You can reply to this message." They'd_ already said their goodbyes earlier, Solas already well into the tunnels leading the elderly and sick out of Haven. 

_"Be safe, vhen'an, or I will have to try my hand at necromancy as well."_ He teases her, though she can feel his spirit crying out for her, desperate to be there with her, to help her, hold her.

"Ready, boss?" Bull takes his giant axe from its place on his back, grinning down as Felicity shimmers, in an instant taking on the image of Acacia. 

"Yeah, let's do this!"

~~~~~

Fighting at night is a pain in the ass. Felicity can't even count the number of times she's tripped and fallen because she can't really see where she's stepping. And if Bull makes one more smart assed comment about it, she's going to turn him into a toad.

"Alright, that's the last of them, get going." Felicity huffs as she leans against the last trebuchet, the one aimed at the mountain over Haven. It was hell getting here through all the Red Templars swarming the area. They were like cockroaches, more showing up just as they dealt with the last group. 

"Firecracker, we can-"

"No, Varric, we are not doing this. You all are going right fucking now, or I am going to send you to Skyhold myself, and Maker only knows how much of my magic that is going to take. Go." With a reluctant nod, he passes her what health potions he had left, the others following suit before running back towards the Chantry.

There was an eerie quiet in the air, only occasionally broken by the sound of Corypheus' pet dragon in the sky above her. The ground shook as the army of Red Templars got closer, and, just to make sure she got Corypheus' attention, she had the mark on her hand start to sputter, spitting out the same magic the Breach had been made of. 

A simple spell has her cleaned up, and she tries to make herself look as casual as can be as she leans up against the trebuchet, waiting for Corypheus to make his dramatic entrance. She's not disappointed, a massive explosion acting as a backdrop as he steps forward, his corrupted eyes glaring at her as he makes his way forward. 

Felicity pushes away to face him, not even flinching as the dragon lands behind her.

"Pretender, you toy with forces beyond your ken no more."

~~~~~

 _"Pala-!_ " Solas' fist connects with the wall of the dark tunnel as he dares to look through Felicity's eyes. She was glaring up at the monster, not even a handful of feet between them before her body was sent flying back by a blast of the magister's magic. 

"We have to keep going, we're almost through. Then at least we should be able to see." Acacia wasn't sure if that made it better or worse, but Solas nods, pressing forward, his magic lighting the way. When the end of the tunnel comes into sight, he- and many of the others- take off running, desperate to see how Felicity was holding up. 

In the narrow pass between the mountains, they have the perfect view of the fight going on below. Corypheus and his dragon are easy to spot, many gasping and praying as they lay eyes upon their true enemy for the first time. It's harder to keep track of Felicity, who is continuously running, flashes of magic the only sign she was there fighting at all. 

The corrupted dragon moves to snap its teeth around her, Solas lurching forward a step, hand outstretched as if he could possibly reach her. The crowd watching all shout, not that Felicity can hear, but in the blink of an eye, Felicity is gone, a brilliant white dragon taking her place. Everyone falls silent as they watch the dragon's head fall back, white gold flames filling the dark sky with light, the glow of it starting to build up in her chest before rising up and bursting forth.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Corypheus shouts, his dragon shifting back a step, his voice echoing all the way up to where the growing crowd was watching. The ancient magister, like Solas and Dáithí, hadn't seen a dragon like this, not since the Old Gods of Tevinter. But instead of cruel and corrupt, Felicity stands before them a beacon of light, of hope.

"I'm not afraid of you, Corypheus, not you or your little pet. You will fail." The rage on the would-be gods' face would have made Felicity flinch had she not been equally as mad. "We will fight, we will always fight! You will not stop us!"

"What are you?"

"None of your fucking business." Felicity doesn't get a chance to taunt him any further before his dragon lunges for her, teeth trying to sink into her neck. She jumps as well, taking to the sky as her claws sliced into the already dead flesh of her opponent.

~~~~~

Adrenaline is a scary thing.

She doesn't think, she just does, her body moving and fighting and _flying_ on instinct. How it was instinct, she didn't know. It wasn't like she had any ariel training sessions to prepare for this. It almost feels like she's apart from her body, watching herself move as if she were watching a video game character in a cut scene. 

Angry magic was all around her, the sickening aura around the corrupted dragon clinging to her, stifling her, suffocating every breath when she was close. And Corypheus was a menace below. Many spells bounced off her scales without anything to show for it, but some clawed their way into her, poisoning her, the sound of red lyrium growing ever louder in her mind. 

But even with the growing whispers and sound of hammers on metal, Felicity was winning. The corrupted dragon didn't stand a chance against her if the battle kept up for much longer, and they both knew it. 

Out of the corner of her eyes, she catches the sight of people gathering on the mountainside, the ocean of bodies slowly growing as everyone makes it out safely. But still, no signal had come, so she would fight on, doing her best to ignore the corruption that was seeping into her very bones.

Sharp pain exploded from her back leg, her opponent's claws slicing into her as she was distracted by the villagers. A burst of flame from her instantly cauterizes the wound, the adrenaline making it feel like little more than a sting. The same can't be said for the corrupted dragon who screams as the white gold flames slam into it.

Felicity makes a sharp turn, diving back towards the frozen lake, her grin feral as she hears her opponent following after her. Magic flares in her eyes, melting a large hole in the ice as she pulls herself up at the last possible second. The corrupted dragon, weakened as it was, couldn't have followed after her if it tried. It splashes into the icy water with another scream, the sound cut off in an odd gurgle as it's fully submerged. As quickly as she had melted the ice, she reforms it, reinforcing it with her magic before sweeping across the sky back to where Corypheus is seething, his spells still trying to ground her. 

In a flash, she flies over him, and Corypheus creates a shield of red lyrium above him, but she doesn't attack. At least not from above.

The ground under his feet erupts, spires of stones rising, and blasting him into the air. It's then that her tail slams into him, sending him flying. It was oddly satisfying to hear his shouted curses as he went flying, feeling his magic scrambling to try and create some way for him to fight back in the air as he spun. 

His dragon comes clawing its way from the ice as Felicity launches Corypheus around, and she lets him crash back into the ground so she could once again deal with the dragon. 

It looked pissed, not that she could find it within herself to give a single fuck.

A jet of fire greets it as it takes to the skies again. There is a brief moment of silence before it retaliates with its own breath attack; even the fire it breathes corrupted by the blighted lyrium. The cloudy sky is alight as they trade blows, each of their fire's burning hotter as they get angrier.

~~~~~

The dragons began a fierce battle that no one watching could really believe. Felicity was clearly toying with them, distracting them just like she said she would, but every now and again, her opponents would land a blow. Of the two dragons, it's clear who was stronger, who would win the fight. Felicity's dragon form was in perfect health, whereas the other dragon was still recovering from the corruption Corypheus had subjected it to. Her fire burned hotter, her talons dug deeper, her wings beat stronger, and it isn't long before the other dragon is looking for a way out.

"Enough!" Corypheus shouts, a giant wave of red lyrium infected magic rising up and enveloping Felicity. The corrupted dragon hits the ground hard, unable to really catch itself with it's mangled wings. Felicity starts heading toward the ground fast as well, crying out in pain at the magic clawing its way into her. When she gets close, her body shifts again, her spell transforming her finally giving out. 

The crowd watches in silence, Solas feeling his heart stop beating, icy terror flowing through his veins. He wanted to go to her, wanted to save her, but the ancient magic in the promise he made kept his feet firmly in the snow where they were. Tears stream down his cheeks as he feels just a part of the pain she was in, just a hint of the fear she felt as her magic lashed out. 

She convulses on the ground back in her elven form, the illusion of the Anchor still sputtering on her hand. Solas watches as her body tries to shift back to her dragon form again and again, whether by her choice or not, he can't be sure. Eventually, the curse Corypheus had used fades away, leaving Felicity crying and panting on the ground. 

"No more games, pretender," Corypheus stomps forward, grabbing Felicity and picking her up like she was nothing more than a toy doll. He squeezes, reveling in the sound of her cries.

Felicity is in agony, her entire body feels like it's been doused in acid and then lit on fire. Her magic lashes out, and she is utterly incapable of controlling it right now. She screams, the sound carrying up the mountains and bringing Solas to his knees. She's crushed before thrown like a baseball into the trebuchet, bones are breaking upon impact, the sickening sound lost in her cries and the dragon's roar. It jumps back to stand behind Corypheus menacingly.

"Light the signal." Blackwall pants as he runs up, everyone finally having made it through the tunnels.

"No, she-" Solas doesn't get a chance to finish, Varric taking matters into his own hands. He fires a flare with Bianca, watching it with a broken expression as it rises higher and higher into the sky.

For a moment, bright red light doesn't quite register in Felicity's mind. She stares at it, Corypheus' obnoxiously cliche rant muddying up her mind as the adrenaline finally washes out of her system. Only exhaustion is left in its wake, and in the back of her mind, she can feel Solas' pain in reaction to her own. In an effort to help, she closes herself off. If he couldn't feel her or her pain, maybe that would be better...

"If only you knew how much of a pretender I really am, you stupid prick." 

Felicity forces the words out, laughing before the pain from the action washed over her. Her arm trembles as she holds it up, Corypheus looking at the ruined Anchor, about to snarl something else, before he watches it vanish into nothing. 

"The Herald is long gone; you done fucked up, buddy," Felicity screams out in pain, her entire body protesting as she pushes herself up and knocks away the lock that had been keeping the trebuchet from firing. The entire trebuchet lurches as the large boulder is shot into the air at the mountain. It collides into the mountain to the left of what remained of the Inquisition, people screaming as the snow starts to race down the mountain. 

All eyes remain locked on where Felicity laid, having fallen down after firing the trebuchet. Whispered demands for her to get up, to move, to fight, and survive are soon shouts, all of them lost in the sound of the avalanche. 

"No…!" Solas whispers, his spirit fighting the ancient magic keeping him in place without anything to show for it. It doesn't take long for the avalanche to grow in size, the snow quickly rushing down the mountainside, obscuring the landscape as it goes. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches as a raven suddenly flies over the snow, racing back to the quickly vanishing remains of Haven. But what was one man going to do against an avalanche?

Felicity, near delirious from the pain from the curse Corypheus had used, looks up at the starry sky with a small smile. It was so beautiful… Her view of the night sky is broken by a large body, Felicity startling until she recognizes the warm, intelligent eyes of Panelan. 

"You're not supposed to be here." She croaks, "Silly hart, you have to live. Go- go to the mine shaft." Her eyes fall shut as unconsciousness finally takes her. Panelan shifts, uncaring if anyone watching from the mountain could still see them through the clouds of snow the avalanche threw into the air. He quickly picks her up, running towards where the mine shafts he regularly uses to sneak agents in and out of Haven is. Panelan wonders if that's how the Herald would have survived in her game.

They both go tumbling into the cave, the avalanche washing over the opening not a heartbeat later. Panelan rolls them off the side before settling over Felicity, trying to shield her from what debris made it through. There was a small stash of supplies he had hidden in here for various agents to use, he hoped they kept it where he'd initially hidden it because he was going to need every bit of help he could get. 

~~~~~

Felicity wakes up to a surprising amount of warmth and way less pain than she expected. 

"Hello there, I was wondering when you would wake." A voice she didn't recognize chases the last bits of peace from her rest away, Felicity trying to sit up in a hurry, though she remains where she lays on the ground, her body too exhausted to move, wide eyes searching for the source. 

Sitting on the ground across from her is a young elven man. His messy brown hair that Felicity immediately wanted to fluff draws her attention first, though it is quickly captured by his deep green eyes. Familiar eyes, though she's having trouble saying from where. Panelan had gathered what he could to make his story of wandering traveler/ innocent bystander as believable as possible. The supplies helped, he just hoped Felicity would buy it.

"Who're you?"

"Quite forward, that's a nice change of pace. My name is Llewellyn. Just who might you be?"

"Felicity. Where are we?"

"A cave system that runs under the village of Haven. I saw the fighting, but by the time I got here, everyone was gone. Everyone except you. Got you in here just before the avalanche came."

"Was there… I thought Panelan was there. Did you see a hart? Big elk looking creature, brown fur, mischievous eyes, nice antlers- regal, really."

"I saw no hart, just you on the ground beat to shit."

"I must have been hallucinating… Why is everything going blurry?"

"That's your body saying you need rest. It's okay, I'll keep watch, you'll be safe here."

"I need- I need Solas…" She mumbles as she once again passes out. Panelan moves closer to tuck her back under his cloak as that was the closest thing he had to a blanket before starting to heal her again. Her body had suffered a great deal of damage from the fight with Corypheus, she was lucky to make it out alive. He'd managed to set and heal her legs first before setting up the makeshift camp, the edges of her bones having broken the skin bent at grotesque angles. The various wounds were next, scrapes and burns and cuts and bruises easily yielding to his spells. It was the damage Corypheus' curse had done that was harder to fix. 

For whatever reason, red lyrium seemed to affect Felicity more than others of this world. Panelan had taken fragments of the parasitic magic that had almost killed her, studying it to see if he could find a more efficient way of neutralizing it if they stumbled upon it again. When offered sections of his own spirit to latch onto, the most it did was slow it's regeneration, it didn't eat away at him like it had Felicity. 

The fact that she heard something different when around the corrupted lyrium also was a big concern. Panelan heard the same as Solas, the hum of corrupt magic and little chimes. No hammers on metal, no whispers, nothing so ominous as that. That Corypheus' spell was able to knock her from the sky and cause as much damage as it had, must be due to his ability to somehow harness the power of red lyrium. 

It took time to finally purify her spirit of the traces his curse left behind, though still Felicity seemed to have already changed in ways Panelan didn't think would be reversed. He had watched as, after falling from the sky and shifting back to her normal body, Felicity had tried time and again to change back into a dragon. There was no way to tell if that was a conscious decision on her part or just her magic trying to protect her, and though it seemed none of the attempts stuck, some side effects seemed to have permanently changed her body.

What looked to be almost tattoo's of a scaly pattern appeared in little clusters of her skin that he could see. Her eyes had taken on a more reptilian look, complete with pointed slit pupils. Even some of her teeth looked sharper than before. It was anyone's guess how she would take these changes.

Panelan moves back to his spot across the cave, having spent every ounce of magic he had healing her. If Thelris had been here, no doubt she would be back up and walking around, but as it was, Panelan was pretty proud of what he'd been able to accomplish. 

Two days had already passed, he hoped it wouldn't be too much longer before she woke in earnest, no doubt Solas was worrying up a storm.


	21. Chapter 21

“Llewellyn?”

“Yes, Felicity?”

“Have you seen Panelan yet?” She croaks, barely clinging to consciousness, not even able to open her eyes.

“No, I imagine he got out of Haven with the others.” It was sweet that she was so worried about him, he felt terrible having to lie to her about who he was. Hopefully, one day soon, he would be able to come clean, though he was curious as to how she would take the news.

“Why am I still tired?”

“Because your body is still recovering. When you are better, we can head out, but I fear moving you right now in as delicate a state as you are. I fixed what I could, but I am no skilled healer. I don’t know if I could bring you back from the brink again.”

“M’kay.” Again sleep finds her, Panelan focusing back on his maps, trying to find the quickest way to Skyhold from here as no doubt Solas would have taken that route. The narrow passes would be the shortest path, but it would be difficult to move so many through there in a timely manner. 

If they could fly, they could make it to Skyhold within a day or two depending on the weather, but again, that largely depended on Felicity and if she could transform. When he finally works out a path to take, he sets some wards and goes off in search of food. When she woke, she would need to eat something as she hadn’t had more than some water these past days.

It’s another five days before she wakes in earnest, slowly sitting up and rubbing the last of the sleep from her eyes. Llewellyn is half sitting half lying on the other side of the cave fast asleep, the small fire providing enough heat to keep her from shivering. He looks exhausted, and Felicity begins to feel guilty. No doubt he’s been running himself ragged to try and save her, she wished there was something she could do to help.

“Don’t wake up, don’t wake up, don’t wake up…” She mutters as her magic carefully reaches out, a restoration spell fixing the exhausted state as gently as possible. When he remains asleep, Felicity quietly fist pumps the air, her little mission having been accomplished as she watches the pinched look on his face fade away, the tension leaving his clenched hands and stiff shoulders. 

It is then that Felicity notices how dry her mouth is, how hungry she is. Off to the side of the tiny fire is a small pile of cooked meat on a flat stone. At that moment, it didn’t matter what it was or how it tasted, she was just desperate for something to take away the clenching pain in her stomach.

It’s gone in the blink of an eye, and though she desperately wants to eat more, she holds herself back, knowing if she overdid it, she was going to make herself sick.

When Llewellyn starts shivering, Felicity quickly moves to give him the blanket she’s been using. But as she tucks it around him, she notices it wasn’t a blanket, but a cloak, and certainly not hers. This poor man had been freezing all this time! She’s in the middle of trying to cover him up when he wakes with a start, immediately reaching for his dagger when he sees someone so close to him. 

Felicity freezes as the sharp edge of the blade is pressed to her neck, waiting for his mind to catch up to his body, and it doesn’t take long for Llewellyn to curse and yank the dagger back.

“What are you doing?”

“You were cold…” She says, shrugging, “I was just trying to help after everything you’ve done for me. Are you hungry? I can make something.” His eyes flicker to where he’d placed the small amount of food he’d found only to find it all gone.

“Good, you ate. I’ll be fine-” Just as the words leave his mouth, his stomach rumbles.

“It’s not me for once, that’s nice. Usually, I’m the hungry one trying to deny it. What do you like to eat?”

“You really don’t need to-”

“I really do, actually. So, you can tell me what you like, or I’m going to make what I like, and you’re going to have to eat that. And the last person who tried Jello was not exactly thrilled with it.” He can’t help but smile. Solas had mentioned that particular food to him, and Panelan had to agree; it sounded vile.

“Any kind of meat, something warm. I’m not picky.”

“Pulled pork sandwiches it is. Do you like pickles and onions?” When he nods, Felicity sighs in relief, because she absolutely adored them on her sandwiches. 

“How long have you been awake?”

“Like, twenty minutes. Here, dig in.” When Llewellyn startles at the large plate of sandwiches that appears in her hands, Felicity winces. “Sorry, I should have warned you. I um… I have weird magic.”

“I assumed as much when you turned into a dragon and back.” The first bite is tentative, but then his eyes go wide, and he inhales the first and second sandwich. “This is amazing!”

“Yeah, my mom had the best recipe for pulled pork, just enough spice to have a good kick with a little bit of sweet and salty to balance it out. Um, Llewellyn?”

“Yes?”

“I just- Thank you. For saving me and taking care of me and just...everything. You didn’t have to, but you did, and I really appreciate that.”

“This meal alone is more than enough, thanks.” His easy smile puts her at ease, Felicity laughing as she shakes her head.

“It really isn’t. I’d have to make you this meal, like, a million times, and then we might be even.”

“I’m certainly not going to argue if that’s what you think you should do.” Llewellyn laughs as he finishes his fourth sandwich and reaches for the last one.

“How long was I out for…?” Felicity slowly trails off as she looks down at her hands, something not quite right. There, in sparse little clusters, are the patterns of scales made of white lines, some having golden accents. When she brushes her fingers over them, they don’t feel scaly or anything, her skin having the same smooth texture as the rest of her, but they were very clearly marked on her. 

A flick of her wrist and a gust of magic creates a mirror for her to look into, though she immediately drops it when she sees her face reflected back at her. 

Gone are her hazel eyes and rounded pupils, instead her eyes are the color of liquid gold, faintly shimmering. And the pupils had shifted into vertical slits that gave her an intense look. She had Smaug’s eyes! How?! Just as quickly as she dropped the mirror, she rushed to pick it up, wide eyes studying every other part of her she could see. The little clusters of scaly patterns are smaller on her face. A few near the outside corners of her eyes, above the bridge of her nose, on her temples and cheeks and down her neck. She pulls back on the remains of her armor and Solas’ sweater to see the patterns going down her shoulders. Felicity tugs the shirt up to see her stomach and sides have continued clusters of scales. 

“I take it, this is a new look for you?”

“Yes! What the fuck?!”

“Well, you were the white dragon, yes?”

“Yeah, but I’ve been that before, and this hasn’t happened.”

“I saw the dark magic force you out of the sky and change you back, maybe that has something to do with it?”

“God, look, even my canines are sharper! Shit, I’m going to be lynched if I ever go out like this.”

“I’m not going to let anyone ruin all my hard work. I may be no great mage, but I managed well enough these past few days, it would be a waste to let all that get tossed out the window for something as silly as a few markings and different eyes.”

“How many days?” Everything fades away as she whispers, guilt and worry making her heart skip beats.

“Eight days now.”

“Oh god, Solas! I was supposed to- fuck they all think- we need- I-”

“Alright, alright, calm down, take a breath. I didn’t work so hard to save you just to have you pass out now.” Llewellyn moves closer, holding out a small flask filled with something warm if the steam was anything to go by. She takes it, on instinct taking a sip, pleasantly surprised to taste warm cider. “Now, who’s this Solas?”

“My… my husband, I guess?”

“You guess? You’re not sure?” Llewellyn laughs when Felicity moves to kick him.

“It was kind of a new thing that we hadn’t quite talked through before all the shit hit the fan. He’s mine, alright? Whatever else he may or may not be, he’s mine.”

“And he’s waiting for you somewhere?”

“Skyhold. He promised he’d get everyone else there, he and Dáithí both.”

“Dáithí?”

“He’s family.”

“Do you know where Skyhold is?”

“Well, I mean, more or less...”

“This seems to be a common theme with you, da’asha.”

“Da’asha? What’s that mean? Little something, right?” Felicity crosses her arms, raising a brow and waiting for an answer from her newest companion. Llewellyn just laughs and nods.

“Little woman.”

“Okay, guys, this is getting absurd. First da’len, then da’ean, now da’asha; I’m not that little!”

“You know what they say, two is a coincidence, three is a pattern. Clearly, I’m not the only one who has noticed that you are tiny.”

“Oh, fuck you.” Felicity quickly scoots herself closer and messes up his hair, cackling like a witch at his shocked expression. 

“I feel bad for this Solas.”

“Hey now, he gives as good as he gets. So Llewellyn, do you know how to get out of here?” 

“I do. Do you feel up to traveling so soon after waking?”

“Even if I didn’t, I am going to, regardless. You coming?”

“To Skyhold?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun. I think you’d like Solas, he needs more friends.” Panelan can’t help but snort at that, she wasn’t the first one to say that, not that it ever made a difference to Solas. They are packed up and ready to go in a handful of minutes, there wasn’t much to pack up, after all. He and Felicity tease each other the entire way through the cave system, Panelan thankful that she was back to her usual, cheerful self.

“How do you feel about flying?” She asks as they step out into the light, the snow already up to their knees and the wind whipping her hair around.

“Are you flying me somewhere?”

“That was the idea. It beats walking through snow for days.”

“That’s… fair. Alright, we can-” Felicity is back to her dragon form in an instant, Panelan losing his train of thought so close to her in this form. She was truly majestic, her white scales glittering gold in the bright light, her eyes no longer the blue they had been the previous times she’d changed, instead retaining their glowing gold color.

“You wanna try riding on my back or have me carry you?” Felicity moves her head down to the ground to speak with him, Panelan losing his composure as her tail whips around behind her like an excited puppy.

“I do not know if I can hold on while flying, so I suppose you can carry me.” Panelan chuckles as he secures his pack just a little tighter. “Just don’t drop me, da’asha.” She huffs out a breath, the force of it knocking him back into the snow.

“I’m not so little anymore.” He continues to laugh as he stands, brushing himself off with a shrug.

“You may be a dragon right now, but that doesn’t change that you are still a small elven woman normally.” Felicity rolls her eyes before rising back to her full height. 

“Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

She carefully picks him up in one clawed hand before taking to the sky, the ride relatively smooth, all things considered. Panelan wasn’t truly concerned she would drop him, because even on the off chance she did, he could change and fly on his own. 

He underestimated just how fast Felicity could fly because several hours later, he’s already able to recognize the mountain ranges that lead to Skyhold. In a few more hours, he can see the large keep on the horizon, the sprawling remains of the city just behind it reaching out towards the valley. He wondered if all the underground sections still remained intact, they had always been his favorite spot.

As they continue to close the distance, Panelan shifts his eyes to something that could see a little farther so he could watch what was going on in Skyhold. From the looks of things, the Inquisition had only recently gotten there, though Panelan was impressed to see patrols already walking the battlements. 

They are quick to spot the fast approaching dragon, and Panelan watches in amusement as what started out as terror is replaced by disbelief. The various soldiers and scouts on the walls freezing as they recognize the incoming dragon. The ones who do manage to break free from the shock stumble as they turn to run and start telling people, not that they would have much time before they got there. 

“I really hope they don’t try to shoot me down,” Felicity mutters, her voice almost lost in the sound of rushing wind, but Panelan can make out her words and can’t help but laugh. Shooting her out of the sky was probably furthest from their minds right now. “It’s a crap ton bigger than it was in the game. Is that a whole fucking city behind it? Shit, that’s crazy.”

As they get to the massive keep, Felicity slows, making careful circles above them as she tries to find a space large enough that is clear of people to land in, she didn’t want to accidentally squish anyone after all. Acacia and the Advisors are running from the main building, the large doors swinging open as they race down the steps, eyes on the sky as they stare at the shifted form of the woman they all believed to have died. 

When everyone who’d been in the courtyard finally moved, Felicity carefully moves down. The wind from her wings makes a mess of everything as she carefully drops Panelan to the ground before joining him and shifting back. The absolute silence that hangs in the air is unnerving as everyone stares at Felicity, and she nervously clears her throat before giving them an awkward wave.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Murmurs ripple through the crowd as everyone stares, but when several guards and Templars step forward from the crowd, hands on their weapons as they stand ready to see just what was going on, Felicity jumps back a step and Panelan forward one. One of his daggers is in hand faster than anyone can follow, a fierce scowl on his face just as quick.

“No!” Cullen shouts, glaring at those causing the problems, “She is not a threat!” 

“But who is he?” Leliana’s intense eyes remain locked on the young man Felicity had brought with her, having never seen him before. 

“He’s my friend!” Felicity swallows past the fear and anxiety, about to continue her defense of the man who saved her, but she’s cut off by strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her into a fierce hug. Solas’ spirit finally able to push past the barrier she’d put up now that she was close to him again, and he greedily pulls her into him. 

“Never again do you close yourself to me.” He whispers, Solas’ voice rough with unshed tears as he begins to shake. This past week had been torture. She’d closed herself off during the fight, and then she was gone. Her spirit, the warmth she gave him still lingered within him, but he never heard anything from her, no confirmation that she was alive, so he could only assume she’d been lost.

“I’m sorry, I- I thought it would be better if I- but it- I- I’m so sorry!” She sobs into his shoulder as she clings to him. “I didn’t mean to be late, I was- I was asleep again. S-Solas, something happened that night, I- I don’t know why I look like this, but it doesn’t go away. My eyes and my face and my skin and my teeth, I-”

“Shh, _vhen’an,_ it doesn’t matter. You are alive, that is enough, that is _everything.”_

“Llewellyn saved me, d-don’t let them take him.” Solas pulls away only enough to cast a glance at where Panelan is standing still in a defensive position, blade out, and eyes locked on the guards Cullen is hissing at to step away. 

“I won’t.” Solas steps back as he hears familiar grumbling stomping closer, Felicity opening her eyes to see Dáithí scowling down at her. She opens her mouth to apologize, to defend herself, but she’s again cut off as he pulls her into a hug.

“Don’t you ever put me through that again, do you hear me, young lady? I am too old to be worrying like this.” That sends Felicity back to sobbing out apologies, stumbling as they are ushered into the keep by Josephine. There was much to discuss, and there was no way they were going to be doing it out in the open like this.

Felicity is too busy crying to take in the massive room of the keep, debris still getting cleared out, door and walls in the process of being repaired. They all head to the war room, the massive wooden table from a bygone age having been the only surviving furniture in the room. 

The moment the door is shut, Leliana turns on Panelan, a blade of her own in hand as she leans on the table towards him. 

“Who are you?”

“I must say, da’asha, your friends are not nearly as pleasant as you.”

“S-stop it, Leliana! He saved me!” Felicity sobs into Dáithí’s shirt, unable to pull herself away just yet, not that he was going to let her go any time soon. 

“We evacuated all of Haven, there was no one left to save you that would be with the Inquisition, the only ones who remained were with Corypheus-”

“I am a traveler, I wasn’t in Haven until the fighting had almost finished. When I saw the smoke, I came to help, but all I found was Felicity on the ground with an avalanche heading towards her. We got into a nearby mine shaft with hardly a second to spare.”

“Who healed her?”

“I did.” Panelan’s free hand sparks with magic, lightning crackling in his palm for a moment before vanishing. “It took days, the damage to her body was severe, and the curse that was used against her made it harder to pull her back to the world of the living.”

“Why would you save her?”

“What was I supposed to do, abandon her? Let her get crushed by the avalanche that allowed you all to escape?”

“It is too convenient-”

“Enough!” Felicity, finally having heard enough, pulls away from Dáithí to shout at those on the other side of the table, tears stains, running nose, and all. “Enough, please just stop it. He saved me! He spent days watching over me and making sure I was warm and safe and healthy. He’s not a spy or a bad guy or anything! We’re done talking about this. Did everyone else get out okay?”

“Yes, it was just as you said. Corypheus and his forces were focused on you, they didn’t even try to follow. After the avalanche, we made our way to Skyhold. Morale has been low since that night, but I expect it will start to go up with you alive and well.”

“Thank god, I was so worried about all of you.” Felicity sags against Solas, still holding onto Dáithí’s arm. “Oh, Llewellyn, this is Solas and Dáithí, the ones I was telling you about.”

“Ah, yes, your husband and father. A pleasure.” Everyone in the room falls silent, Panelan’s eyes sparkling with mischief as he bows to the two men. “Though I must say, I feel bad for you both, she is quite the trouble maker.”

“Hey, that’s rude!” Everyone notices that she doesn’t correct the young man, and Dáithí, in particular, chokes up a little bit. “They are just as troublesome as I am. And so are you, for that matter. Guys, I’m down for having a meeting, but can it be tomorrow? My back is super sore from flying all day, and I honestly don’t think I’m going to stop crying for a while.”

“Of course, if you’ll come with me, I can show you to some quarters you may use.”

“And some for Llewellyn, too, please.” Josie nods with a smile, quickly leading the way out and off to the side, taking a roundabout way to some empty rooms to avoid drawing attention to Felicity. After they are gone, the silence in the war room lasts only a heartbeat, Acacia breaking it with a loud sigh and a laugh.

“I’ve never been so happy to see a dragon.”

“Indeed. I can’t believe she survived.” Cullen shakes his head, his eyes unfocused as he remembers watching Felicity fight that night, watching her lay on the ground as the snow rushed forward. After three days with no word from her, he had to pronounce her dead. As she was still a part of the Inquisitions forces, the burden fell to him to let the people know what became of their savior.

Solas didn’t speak a word to anyone after that, leading the people in silence towards Skyhold. This morning, Solas came to them, ready to set out for what remained of Haven and search for her, many others volunteering their services. It was a good thing that they hadn’t left yet.

“That elf still concerns me.” Acacia just rolls her eyes and shrugs her shoulders, answering before Leliana can rattle off any more reasons to be mistrustful.

“Honestly, at this point, it doesn’t matter what concerns you about him Leliana, he’s staying until we have proof of any dastardly deeds.”

“She’s alive?!” Bull comes storming into the room, nearly breaking the door from its hinges as he kicks it in. 

“Hell yeah, she is!”

“Yes! Sera owes me big.” With a loud laugh, Bull heads off in search of the elven archer, the two of them having made a bed that same night everything went down. Bull knew Felicity wouldn’t just give up and die like that, it was only a matter of time before she showed up again. 

~~~~~

“Josie, is there a bathroom set up somewhere yet? I really wanna get all this shit off.” Felicity sniffles, awkwardly walking while still clinging to both Solas and Dáithí, Panelan snickering several times when she would inadvertently trip the men she was so desperately trying to keep close. 

“Once you are in your room, I can have some servants bring a tub and some hot water. There are a couple more hidden rooms in the back corner here, one for you and Ser Solas, one for Ser Dáithí, and one for Ser Llewellyn as well. Does that sound agreeable?”

“That’s perfect! Thank you so much!” Again Felicity is crying, Josie softly laughing as she marks down what rooms they would be staying in.

“I will have them move your belongings down here as well.” She says to Solas and Dáithí before turning her attention to where Llewellyn is standing nonchalantly watching them all. “If I may, what is your family name? It’s far easier to keep records when we have both.”

“Llewellyn Ecenrode.” He executes a perfect formal bow for the Ambassador before breaking into an easy smile. “I was in Rivain until a few months ago when everything went sideways with the Breach. I’m no great scholar on the Fade, but I can handle demons easily enough. Word of the Inquisition reached my ears as I got further south, and I came to see for myself if humans, elves, dwarves, and Qunari were really all working together.”

“You have experience fighting demons?”

“More than most here had at the time, I assume. Sometimes the Seers don’t always have full control over the spirits they summon, and they turn into demons. My job back home was mostly protecting people from such accidents.”

“That is fascinating. As the Inquisition’s Ambassador, I must offer my thanks at rescuing Lady Felicity, I’m afraid there is nothing I can offer that could repay that great a debt.”

“Oh no, don’t worry about such things, she’s already agreed to make me dinner- how many times was it, da’asha?”

“A million, but every time you call me that, I’m going to subtract one.”

“That seems fair, da’asha.” Panelan laughs when Felicity rolls her eyes, even Solas cracking a smile at her reaction. “So, as you can see, there is no debt to settle.”

“Well, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Lady Felicity, would you care to have some food brought up after the bath? Something light but filling?”

“Oh, you don’t have to go out of your way, Josie, I’ll be fine-”

“That sounds perfect, thank you, Ambassador Montiliyet.” Solas cuts in, nodding to Josie before pulling Felicity into the room they’d been shown too. Dáithí ends up pulled in as well, Panelan trailing after them when Felicity calls for him to get his butt in there. “I think it’s safe to assume you will both be joining us for the meal?” Solas asks the other men, both more than willing to agree, even without Felicity making puppy dog eyes at them.

“I would be delighted, though I’m sure it will pale in comparison to what you created earlier.” Panelan gently teases, Felicity giggling as she dries her cheeks yet again.

“I’ll go grab your things, da’ean,” Dáithí steps close, giving her one more hug before leaving the room and making a beeline to Solas’. Panelan is about to follow suit and head to his own room when Solas stops him.

“Thank you for saving her.” He holds out a hand to him, Panelan smiling as he takes hold of his forearm and nods. He was happy to see the mark of his promise to her had faded, there was nothing that would stop him from following her everywhere now.

“You’re welcome.” They shared a serious look, Panelan sure that he would hear from Solas in the Fade that night so that he could get a full recounting of everything that had happened, but for now, they needed some time alone together. 

When the door shuts behind Panelan, Solas pulls Felicity into a deep kiss, grasping at her to pull her closer until he couldn’t anymore. She melted against him like she always did, both of them crying as the seconds turn into minutes, only parting when someone knocks at the door. Servants stand there with a large tub carried between them, several more behind them with buckets of already steaming water. The last one to enter the room also has a basket full of a variety of soaps and bath salts and perfumes, all of it looking too fancy for her. 

Without a word, they set everything up before leaving as quickly as they’d come. Dáithí passes in her pack just before they shut the door. Felicity immediately searches for the soap Dáithí had given her to use instead of the colorful glass bottles of Maker only knows what that Josephine had sent.

“I can leave if you wish-”

“Solas, don’t you dare leave this room, or I’m going to start crying again.” He smiles and nods, kissing her once before pulling back.

“Would you like me to wash your hair?”

“You would do that?”

“‘ _Ma vhen’an,_ I would be hard-pressed to find something I would not do for you.” Tears once again overflow down her cheeks as she nods. As she gets undressed and into the tub, Solas moves a chair to the back edge, rolling up his sleeves as he gathers up the various soaps they had.

When she’s submerged in the water, her magic warms it up just a bit more until she’s practically a boneless mess, the heat leaching every ounce of tension from her back and shoulders. Solas quietly hums as he works, using a mixture of her soap and one Josie had given them, the Ambassadors adding a hint more of spice to the floral aroma of Felicity’s regular soap. As he washes her curls, he ends up massaging her scalp, neck, and shoulder before making sure every strand of hair is covered in suds. 

Just as he’s about to start rinsing her hair, she opens her eyes, tipping her head back just a little more so she could look at him. Her eyes, even changed as they were, were soft, filled with nothing but love, her cheeks warm from the bathwater. As she smiled up at him above her, her hair still full of bubbles, Solas was sure there was nothing more adorable than his little miracle worker. Solas leans down, quickly kissing the tip of her nose before pulling back with a bit of smile.

“What was that for?” She asks, but Solas just shrugs.

“Just because. Do I need a reason to kiss my wife?”

“Hell no.” She quickly dissolved into giggles, taking a moment to laugh before looking back at him. “You know, I’d wash your hair too, but I feel like it’s not exactly as meaningful because you don’t actually have hair for me to wash.”

“Maybe if I ever grow my hair out.”

“I would wash your hair every day if you grew it out, Solas.”

“What a tempting offer, _‘ma fenorian,_ we shall have to see.” Her smile grows, and Solas just rolls his eyes. “You are going to get soap in your eyes if you keep them open, Felicity.” They fall shut, but still, her smile remains just as bright, and Solas lets out a content sigh. 

If only life could be this simple all the time. 

By the time her hair is done being washed, she feels ready to fall asleep, far too relaxed to finish washing up. Solas doesn’t mind one bit, carefully washing the rest of the dirt and grime from all the fighting away before helping her from the water and into a fluffy towel. Once dried off, she pulls on a pair of her loose leggings and one of Solas’ sweaters, leaning against his legs as he braids her wet hair out of her face. 

Once again, servants interrupt their quiet peace, several of them cleaning up and removing the tub, others bringing in their lunch, far more food than Felicity thought they would need for just the four of them, but she was too relaxed to care. 

“My, my, how docile you’ve become, da’asha.” Panelan teases as he saunters in, immediately grabbing a handful of the berries and munching on them.

“You’re already down to 999,997, buddy.”

“Still so many to go, da’asha.”

“Solas, how do you say ‘big menace’ in elvish?” Solas’ knee jerk reaction was to say ‘Panelan,’ but he held himself back. 

“My mother considered naming me Tuanuelenain, a mouthful to be sure, but it translates to little troublemaker. Evidently, I was quite the kicker while I was in the womb, and when she finally pushed me out, it took eight hours too many.”

“Why didn’t she go with that name? Seems apt.” Felicity sticks her tongue out at Panelan, who does it right back at her. 

“My father didn’t want me to have a self-fulfilling prophecy to live up to as I grew.”

“Smart man. I definitely would have taken that name as a challenge to see just how much of a trouble maker I could be.”

“As would I have.” They laugh as Dáithí walks in, Solas’ pack in hand. This way, he wouldn’t need to leave Felicity’s side for anything. He does a double-take at the table full of food, eyes going wide, not unlike Felicity’s had.

“I know, right? It’s way too much!”

“Does she know we’re not nobility? They don’t have to go to such lengths in the presentation.” He mutters, eyeing the various garnishes on the plates. 

“The cheese does look pretty good, though.” Felicity is about to stand up and reach for it, but Solas’ magic beats her to it, his arms tightening around her. She wasn’t moving even an inch away from him. “Thanks, honey.” With a quick kiss to his cheek, Felicity turns to accept the small plate of food, Solas knowing precisely what she liked and made sure to get a little bit of it all.

It was amazing how much just a quiet meal with people she loved could lift her mood and relax her.

Felicity was going to have to make these meals a daily thing, the atmosphere too good to pass up in favor of the crazy she was sure was filling the dining hall if the noise reaching even them was anything to go by.

~~~~~

“I’m just saying, without the hat you look a little less intimidating.” Felicity sits on the floor with Cole, who is helping her sort through her rock collection. 

“But I like my hat.”

“Well, maybe we can make it so the brim doesn’t hide your eyes? I like seeing your eyes, everyone does. You have very pretty blue eyes.”

“You want to wrap me up in a blanket, but I’m not cold. What is a smol bean?”

“You, silly. A smol bean cinnamon roll who could definitely kill you.”

“I wouldn’t kill you.”

“Aw, thanks. I don’t want to kill you either.” Felicity leans over to give Cole a quick hug before sitting back against Solas’ legs, holding up two different stones for him to look at. “Which one would you say has more pizzazz?” 

“Pizzazz?”

“An attractive combination of vitality and glamour. Basically Dorian.” Solas snorts but looks up from his book to study the different colored stones anyways.

“The left one.”

“Thanks!” She places it in a small pile of stones that look nothing alike, and Solas just shakes his head. He knows better than to ask why she put it there; much of the time, her explanations made no sense.

Early in the morning, Cole had shown up a plate of crudely made pancakes in hand for Felicity, who promptly pulled the boy in to share the meal with her. Acacia poked her head in for a minute to tell them they were getting ready for a meeting with everyone to discuss what had happened and what was going to happen. A messenger would come to get them once everyone else was set. That was hours ago, so clearly, they were divided on something and didn’t want Felicity to see until they had decided. 

If it was what Solas thought it was, Felicity wasn’t going to enjoy this meeting any more than he would. 

“What would my name be in elven?”

“Hmm… Shora means happiness of the journey, or she who is happy on the journey. Roshan would be enduring happiness. Either of those would work for Felicity. As for Maria, you said it meant sea of sorrow or rebellion, correct?”

“Yeah, though I like the latter more.”

“Idrilla would mean little rebel, literally a little rebel lives inside her.”

“Again with the little!”

“It is merely a coincidence that it has ‘little’ in the name, and you are also little, Felicity.” Solas laughs at her grumbling, Cole looking back and forth between the two of them. He opens his mouth as his eyes zone out, but before he gets the chance to soul search again, a messenger comes into the room. They don’t seem fazed by the piles of rocks and pebbles on the floor as they pass along the message that everyone is ready in the war room.

“I kinda hoped they’d forgotten about us.” She mumbles as she stands, immediately accepting Solas’ outstretched hand. 

“They’re afraid of your answer, that’s why they waited. You know and they don’t and that changes everything. You change everything. I’ll try to help, but they don’t like me listening.” Cole is gone in the blink of an eye, Felicity’s happy little glow slowly vanishing as his words sink in. 

“I didn’t mean to change everything…”


	22. Chapter 22

“Where’s Llewellyn? I haven’t seen him yet this morning.” Felicity asks as they begin to leave, looking around for her newest friend.

“I was simply enjoying the quiet, da’asha.” He pipes up as his door swings open, Solas having sent him a flicker of magic to let him know they were getting ready to leave. “Would you care for some extra company?”

“I would love some company, I-” Felicity casts a wary glance to the messenger ahead of them before quickly sending a message to him directly. _“I honestly don’t know if they’re going to try anything, so I think it would be best if you came too. You can reply to this message.”_

He doesn’t visibly react to the message, instead casually falling into step on Felicity’s other side.

_“That’s very thoughtful, thank you for your concern. If they do try anything, though, I can assure you, I can hold my own.”_

_“I know, but you shouldn’t have to.”_

They trail behind the messenger in silence, Felicity fighting to remain standing tall as they pass people, and those people began to whisper and stare. Solas’ spirit soothes her as they walk, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of her hand as they walk. She spares a glance at him as they walk, his head held high, shoulders back, looking as confident as can be. Felicity was sure that she wouldn’t be able to do this without him here to support her.

“Ah, Ser Llewellyn, I see you’ve come to join the meeting as well.” Leliana, eyes already pinned on the smirking elf, breaks the silence in the room as the doors shut behind them. She stands on the opposite side of the table again with the other Advisors and Acacia, Cassandra joining them as well. 

“I was invited, it would have been rude to decline.”

“So, I assume you’ve all got questions?” Felicity asks, doing her best to quell the anxiety bubbling up.

“Yes, but that is for later.” The Spymaster finally looks away from Panelan, her gaze falling to Felicity, impressed to see that though there was trepidation in her eyes, it was nearly hidden by the determination.

“Okay, so… what am I here for then?” Cassandra makes a noise of disgust when everyone in the room remains silent at Felicity’s question, and she rolls her eyes as she pushes past everyone to stand in the middle.

“The Inquisition needs a leader.”

“Yeah, The Inquisitor. What has that gotta do with me?”

“Many believe that you should be the one to take the title.” Solas had seen this coming and managed to keep a stoic expression, but Felicity’s mouth fell open, her eyes nearly falling from her skull. 

“You’re kidding, right? You have to be! Acacia is supposed to be the Inquisitor!”

“No, no, no, they already tried that. I’m not doing that. I don’t mind closing rifts and fighting demons, but I’m not leading anyone anywhere.”

“What?! But you- it- The Herald is supposed to- even- oh no, what have I done?” Solas sucks in a sharp breath at the searing guilt that comes through to him from her. 

_“Vhen’an,_ you have done nothing wrong.” He quickly steps in front of her, blocking everyone from view as his hands frame her face. “Nothing.”

“They- they want me to lead! Why?!” Felicity, in full panic mode, leans around Solas to look at the Advisors, at all the people she was sure wouldn’t want someone like her to lead.

“You’ve already led the Inquisition back in your world. Many times over, or so you said. Who better to lead than someone who knows what’s coming?” Josephine smiles at her, her voice and tone gentle. 

“Even now our people whisper about the Lightbringer, the dragon who saved them in Haven, the elven woman who is blessed by the holy light of the Maker, sent to damn those who would stand against the Maker and his Herald.” Cullen’s voice is even quieter than Josephine’s, the guilt of his actions in Havens still heavy on his heart.

“No, no, no, wait, I’m not- I don’t even- how did that-” With a wordless mush of sounds, Felicity cuts off, leaning into Solas, who is quick to wrap his arms around her. “I’m a mage, not even a normal mage, but a freaky one! I glow now! I have dragon eyes and scales and pointed ears!”

“If anything, that makes your claim all the more believable.”

_“I’m not claiming **anything!**_ I’m just- I’m just me!”

“You’re right- you are just you. You are the same woman you have been since the moment you got here. You are kind and generous regardless of race, gender, social standing, and everything else. You forgive where others would hold grudges, you are sweet where others would be bitter, you are brave and sure of yourself and your path when others continue to try and tear you down.”

“That was really nice to say...” Felicity mumbles as she stares at Cassandra, whose voice- despite her severe expression- is earnest and sure.

“We would not be asking you to lead the Inquisition alone, we will all remain in our positions as your Advisors. Cullen would still lead the forces, Leliana the scouts and spies, and the rest of the general management would fall to me. You would be the one to make decisions where we cannot agree, you would be the one leading us in the correct directions with your foreknowledge without giving it all away. And of course, you would be the face of the Inquisition to the public along with The Herald.”

“And what is your take on this, Leliana?” Anxiety twists her stomach as she stares off against the woman who’d given her such grief. 

“I think your knowledge will be useful. What I have been able to confirm has been true, and if you know those kinds of details about what is to come, it would be foolish to disregard it. That being said, the Inquisition needs a strong leader, and that is where I find fault with when it comes to you.”

“With all due respect, you’re wrong,” Panelan says, not even flinching as all eyes land on him. “I saw her fighting Corypheus and his dragon, as she alone stood against a monster straight out of Chantry cautionary tales. I watched as she was beaten bloody and tossed around as if she were nothing more than trash. But not once did her conviction to keep him distracted waiver. She stood against the physical pain and the agony of the curse he trapped her in, waiting for the signal, waiting to know everyone had made it out alive. She didn’t think twice before she reached for the lock on the trebuchet, even though she could barely move, even though there was no way for her to escape, there was no hesitation as she fired it.”

Felicity leans further into Solas, pushing the memories away. The worst thing about being that close to Corypheus, other than the mind-numbing pain, was the smell of rotting, corrupted, lyrium infested flesh. It filled the air surrounding the magister and his dragon; even now, just the memory has bile rising up in Felicity’s throat. 

“And the Inquisition doesn’t need any more intimidating figures leading it. It needs someone people can follow, someone people can relate too, someone who is approachable and genuine. Someone that cares. They can spin what tales they like of her being of the Maker and whatnot, but she needs to be real, the Inquisition needs to be real to people for them to follow.”

“I’m not a leader, guys! I’m a- a background person! A sidekick, support character, backstage helper kind of person! I’ve never led anything!”

“You lead the mages from Redcliffe. You led the planning to close the Breach. You led the men against Corypheus.”

“Solas?” She turns her wide eyes to him, Solas taking a slow breath at the indecision and self-doubt he finds there.

“I cannot tell you what to do Felicity, this decision is no ones but yours. But no matter what you decide, I will be by your side.”

“Do you think I could, though?”

“I think you could do anything, _vhen’an._ ” There is not a hint of dishonesty in his cool spirit where it rests within her, his love and support shining in his eyes as he feels her searching him for answers he didn’t have. 

“It was why you were sent, sought out, saved. A purpose for you, a place to call home, a picture of peace for the many people of this world.” They startle when Cole suddenly appears on the table, his legs swinging back and forth as they hang over the edge, his unfocused eyes on Felicity. 

“Don’t be afraid, little light, this world needs you- it needed you both.” Cole’s voice changes then, growing lighter, wispier, thin like a trail of smoke in the air. “May the stars guide you.” All at once, Solas feels like he was struck by lightning. Those words, that voice- at least Cole’s attempt- it was all Mythal. She would say that to him and others as her way of saying goodbye. How was she here now? Talking to Felicity? Pulling her from another world, and not just her, but someone else as well!? She was killed, he saw her body, he rained down destruction on those who murdered her in their greed.

“Cole, sweetheart, what do you mean? I was sent here? Purposefully? Who sent me?” Felicity’s quiet questions snap Cole out of his unfocused state, his eyes returning to the present as he hops from the table. 

“You’ll see soon,” Just like that, he’s gone, leaving everyone in the room with so many more questions. 

“I- what- okay, wow, is that how you all felt when I unloaded everything on you guys?” Cullen snorts, coughing to try and cover his laughter at her honest reaction.

“Yes,” He grins at her before remembering himself and glancing at the table who’s markers hadn’t been disturbed despite the boy who’d been sitting on it. “Though I would be wary of what he says, demons-”

“He’s not a demon! Cole is perfectly okay, he’s here to help.” Felicity comes to Cole’s defense immediately, quietly apologizing a heartbeat later for her sharp tone. “This is- we got a little off-topic.” She fidgets as she looks at everyone in the room, carefully studying each and every one of them. “You guys are sure about this, about me?”

“We spent all morning discussing it, we are as sure as we can be,” Josephine answers for the group, though most of them nod in agreement as well.

“I’m still going to collect neat rocks.”

“Okay.”

“And eat cookies at midnight when I’m hungry.”

“So long as you don’t scare any visiting guests, I don’t see why that would be a problem.”

“I’m not going to dress formal all the time.”

“Of course, though, we will have to see about getting you a wardrobe once things settle in.”

“I’m not going to have mages caged and living in fear. I’m not going to force Templars to take lyrium. Anyone who wants to quit has my full support.” Felicity looks directly at Cullen at her next words, the man paling, but his eyes remain on her, disbelief clear in the amber depths. “The Inquisition will help them if they decide to stop taking it, and find work for them if they want to leave the army.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“I’ll not tolerate any racism, not anymore, not here. Not against anyone.”

“Lady Felicity, it sounds like you are trying to convince us that you will not be good at the job, but the only thing you are doing is justifying my decision to put my faith in you.” Josephine, whose quill has never stopped moving over various sheets of paper, turns her eyes to Felicity, waiting for a final answer. 

“I’m going to need a lot of help.”

“We do need the words, I’m afraid, Lady Felicity.” Felicity sighs at Josephine, playfully rolling her eyes for good measure. What Cole had said still rings in the back of her mind. She was sent here for a reason, if this was it, how could she say no? Felicity was determined to fight for her new home, it just seemed she’d play a bigger role in that fight than she had initially assumed.

“I accept the position of Inquisitor.”

Power rings out with her words as they hang in the air, and her eyes go wide.

“Oh god, I just got goosebumps,” Felicity mumbles as she glances around the large room, having felt something in the room with them for just a heartbeat. Something had shifted in the air, they all felt it, but instead of dread or worry rising up, they all felt sure, steady, even a little serene. 

“How remarkable...” Josephine whispers before shaking herself and pulling everything back together. “There will need to be a formal announcement, of course, one for our people and then letters sent to Orlais and Ferelden- at the very least- letting them know an Inquisitor has been chosen. We will need to see about some better quarters as well as a wardrobe, something more fitting your new title and position. Nothing too extravagant. Not yet, anyway.” Josephine’s light laughter fills the room as Felicity’s mouth falls open. She should have known better; no doubt the Ambassador was going to have dresses for Felicity for every occasion. 

“Some servants, of course, to help with everyday needs, possibly an assistant in regards to your workloads depending on what all the Inquisition will be doing in the coming months. Though there is no safer place in Thedas for you,” Josephine says with a little glance at where Solas stands behind her, ever a protective shield for his Felicity. “We would do well to have a few personal guards assigned to you.” As she continues to rattle off a truly impressive list of things they needed to do only in regards to Felicity, the young woman at the center of attention can’t help but shake her head.

“Wait, wait, wait, that’s- that’s a lot! Too much! I take it back, I don’t think this is for me- I- I-”

“No take backs, Felicity. You are precisely what this Inquisition needs. You will do wonderfully.” Panelan’s positive tone catches her attention, Solas’ spirit calming her down once again. Felicity feels a twinge of guilt, no doubt he was going to get tired of doing that.

“I think you’re required to say that, Llewellyn.”

“I am under no such obligations as I am not a part of the Inquisition. And even if I was, were you a pompous ass, I can promise you I would tell you so right to your face.”

“I think we should announce this sooner rather than later, strike while the iron is hot. Indecision should not be the first thing the Inquisition is known for after such an attack at Haven. How fast can you get the word out, Leliana?”

“Within the day. Can you have everything ready for tomorrow?”

“Yes, I do believe I can. I know we will need to discuss what is coming and Corypheus’ plans, but I don’t think waiting a day or two will make that big of a difference. Will he come for us here?”

“No.” Both Cullen and Felicity answer simultaneously, and though she grins, he turns away, rubbing the back of his neck again as he explains. “With what she did with one trebuchet, he wouldn’t try a frontal assault again. Not to mention they lost a great number of their forces that night.”

“Good. Lady Felicity, I will have some servants come to your room later to help you pack. I have just the spot for your quarters, though it will take a moment to clean everything up.”

“Is it the room in the far back left with about a million stairs leading up to it?”

“It is! Once we get our feet under us, there are some lovely ideas I had about replacing the plain windows with some stained glass.” 

“I don’t- it’s too big for me, I really don’t need all that space.”

“It’s not really a matter of need, it is for appearances.” Llewellyn pipes in with a growing smirk. “You certainly need room to have... company in there.” The Spymaster’s eyes flicker up to Solas with a knowing gleam, Felicity’s cheeks heating in a heartbeat.

“Alright, fine, I’ll take it! But I better have a chest for my rock collection!” She tosses her hands in the air, and Solas smirks. Most other women would be thrilled to live in the finest quarters with a wardrobe to match, not to mention the sheer amount of power Felicity would soon have at her disposal. But here his little miracle worker was worrying about her rock collection and whether or not she will be allowed to have the munchies at midnight. 

“That should conclude this meeting, I have a great deal of preparations to see to. Lady Felicity, I would ask that you remain out of the public eye for the time being, at least until we can formally announce your new position. Rumors are already flying; I do not wish to feed into them.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. Can Solas stay with me?”

“Of course.” Felicity beams at Josie before glancing up at Solas.

“I just got you the whole day off!” She giggles, Solas smirking right back at her as he leans down to kiss her cheek.

“Thank you, _‘ma fenorian.”_ They all head out, Josephine sweeping out of the room in a flurry of golden ruffles just ahead of them, talking quickly but quietly with two other women. Acacia, after quickly whispering something to Cullen who blushes in response, runs after the trio of elves nearly tackles Felicity.

“I’m so glad you said yes! Now they can stop pestering me about it. Also, you’re going to do great and all that.” She teases, Felicity laughing in response. The real reason Acacia wanted her to take the position was just so she wouldn’t have to. Still, it’s not like Felicity can fault her for not wanting the responsibilities that came with being Inquisitor. 

“Gee, thanks, I can always count on you. And just because I’m going to be Inquisitor doesn’t mean you get to just slack off! If I’ve gotta make a show of this, so do you, little miss Herald of Andraste.”

“Pfft, The Herald of Andraste pales in comparison to the Lightbringer, the embodiment of the Maker’s holy fire sent here to smite the heretics.”

“The Lightbringer? Is that really a thing?”

“Oh yes, even as we hiked through the mountains away from Haven, people were whispering about what to call you. The Lightbringer is better than some of their other ideas.”

“It does help with explaining why you glow now.” Solas supplies with a shrug.

“Well… yeah, I guess, but why can’t I just be Felicity? Inquisitor Felicity- oh god…!” Just saying it sends waves of anxiety rolling through her. With an uneasy expression, she turns to Solas. “The next time someone offers me a job position like this, you have my full permission to Fade Step me from the room and duck tape my mouth shut before I do something as foolish as agree.”

“Duck tape?” Panelan asks, watching Acacia and Felicity interacting with warm eyes. She was drawing people together, just like Solas had when they began to fight the Evanuris. 

“God’s gift to the world, a holy relic that can fix all. Chuck Noris approved at some point, probably. And though it came in many colors and patterns, everyone knows the good old fashioned original gray worked best. Thedas needs duck tape, maybe we could have just used that on the Breach.” Felicity laughs, having lost all the others near the start of her rant. 

“It’s funny, she speaks words that I understand, but in orders that make no sense,” Panelan says as he bumps shoulders with her, Felicity glows brightly as she smiles up to him. 

“Ha, get used to that, buddy, that’s what you get for speaking all your elven without telling me what it means. I can be confusing too!”

~~~~~

“Oh, great, it’s fancier than it was in-game. Who needs a bed that big?” Felicity shakes her head at the giant four-poster bed, complete with the cliche curtains around it. But Josephine knew her well because just beyond the gauzy curtains is a pile of pillows bigger than she is, with mismatched blankets as well. “Where’d she get all of this?”

“All the merchants were evacuated with the townsfolk, and they were more than willing to give our Ambassador a discount for saving them.” Solas looks around the room that had been his a lifetime ago. He still liked the balcony, though the view had changed over time. And somewhere along the line, the colored glass panes he had created to change with the seasons had been taken or destroyed. But the general shape of the room remained, even the cracks in the rocks where Thelris had thrown Panelan just a little too hard in a playful disagreement over something inane. 

The ancient magic was still embedded in every stone of the keep, though, which made his smile wistfully. With a little spark of magic, he quickly warms the room as Felicity starts to shiver. The lavishly decorated room and large keep might be a bit much for his vhen’an, but he was glad she was here, that she would put Skyhold to good use once again. 

“Thanks, honey. Do you think I could buy an ocean of pillows to put up in that loft area? It would be so much fun to jump around in.”

“I believe that is where Lady Josephine was thinking about putting your private study, Felicity.” Solas snickers as he imagines Felicity trying to do paperwork while bouncing around on her pillows. 

“Well, I guess that’ll be nice too. We could get a bunch of shelves for all your books and scrolls. Oh, and you could paint murals here too! I could help!” She excitedly bounces into his arms, waiting for his answer on bated breath.

“What would we paint?”

“I don’t know. What do you like painting? I’m only good at landscapes, and that’s only because of Bob Ross. But, I mean, I’m pretty good at coloring in the lines, so if you gave me a section to fill in, I think it’d turn out alright.”

“We’ll see, da’len, I think we need to cross one bridge at a time.” Felicity deflates, shoulders slumping as she winces. 

“Yeah, that’s true. First, I have to actually be made Inquisitor. Then we gotta get everything up and running. Then stop an assassination attempt on the Empress. Then stop Corypheus from getting a demon army. Get a mystical Well of Sorrows. Find some eluvians. Defeat Corypheus once and for all.” It takes all of Solas’ control to keep from reacting to her words regarding the well in Mythal’s temple and the eluvians. “Just a few quick bridges, you know?” She teases as she flops onto the bed, rearranging the mess of pillows until she’s content with their positions.

“If only it could be done as easily as it is said.”

“I know, right? Wouldn’t that be novel.” Felicity pats the bed next to her, curling into his arms once he settles on the bed. “Do you think they’re gonna make me wear a fancy dress for the big ceremony thing?”

“I doubt it would be a dress. More likely, they’ll have some ceremonial coat and armor made. Why?”

“I like dresses and all, but the big hoop skirts and corsets and stuff… that’s a bit much for me. I like flowy dresses, ones that can flare out if you spin fast enough. The heavy formal dresses I saw in the game are not at all like that, and I’d rather not have to wear them.”

“You should be safe, _vhen’an._ What would you like the armor to look like? Any specifics you wish to include?”

“I want it to look elven, I don’t want there to be any mistaking me for a human. Because years down the road, people may try to rewrite history, but I don’t want them to be able to get rid of my ears, to spout off more shit that only humans are good and allowed money and status and respect in this world. What about foot wraps, can I wear those? I’ve always wanted to try.”

“I think we should be able to find something.”

“But… I mean, I don’t want my toes freezing off.”

“Mine are enchanted to keep that from happening. That is how I can wear them inside or in snow.”

“Oh, that’s smart.” Felicity’s mind wanders as they sit in silence, worrying about a great many things, but despite all that, she can’t deny that this feels right. She was meant to be here, though just who wanted her here was still something she would need to look into the next time she saw Cole. 

A few hours later, just as Felicity and Solas finish their evening meal with Panelan and Dáithí, Josie is knocking at the door, a handful of people behind her. They’ve got bolts of cloth and swatches of different patterns, a bag full of pins, needles, and threads, and several pages full of hastily drawn designs.

“Hello, Josie.” Felicity can’t quite keep the smile on her face genuine as she watches them begin to unpack everything and set it up. “This, um, looks… fun…”

“We need something for tomorrow’s ceremony, but they will also begin to start on a complete wardrobe for you as well. Lady Frey has always done marvelous work for my own wardrobe since coming to the Inquisition.” She introduces the clearly Orlesian woman who walks in looking like she ate something especially unpleasant. She looks Felicity up and down as if she were nothing more than a doll, before huffing and looking back to Josephine.

“I will make her passable, it is the most I can do on such short notice.” 

As the woman worked, she never once addressed Felicity, instead only speaking with Josephine and the other servants. Felicity was too uncomfortable to notice, but it grated on Solas’ nerves as time dragged on. When she makes a snippy comment about Felicity being too short and small to properly wear anything in style right now, Solas snaps.

“If you feel you are not capable, then we would hate to inconvenience you. _Vhen’an,_ turn this way,” Before the Orlesian can respond, Felicity looks to Solas, shivering as his magic washes over her skin. In the wake of the shimmering blue are mage robes like she’s never worn before. Many parts are similar to Solas’ own robes, the overcoat and sweater in particular, though her shirt was looser around the sleeves. The puffed out just a little bit from where they are tucked into her leather bracers, the bands of crisscrossed leather matching the leather protecting the front of her legs. Greeves she supposed was a technical term, though they reached up to her thighs. The longer she looks the more similarities she can find between other elven armors she’s seen. 

But even with all the elven hints and bits of Solas in the design there are also parts that are distinctly Felicity. The smooth leggings, the swirling gold pattern on the outside of the coat, the buttons on the coat with little chains between them. It reminded her of marching band, and she loved that Solas included them. The enchanted footwraps take a moment to warm up her feet, but once it starts working she drops her eyes to her toes. The soft dark leather bands are embroidered with the faintest hints of gold, probably to help with the actual enchantments, and she happily wiggles her toes as all the anxiety and dread leave her.

The colors were a surprise, but a good one. She had imagined it would be earthy tones or something flashy and attention grabbing. And while it would certainly stand out, it wouldn’t be in a gaudy way. The shirt was a soft beige, the deep red coat contrasting nicely. The leather bracers and whatnot were a shade darker than that, matching the small pauldrons she had. A deep plum silky scarf finished off the look.

As Felicity moves around, trying to take the whole outfit in, a final shimmer of magic glows around her neck, a small pendant of her own resting against the various fabrics. A delighted gasp escapes as Felicity carefully picks it up. Instead of a wolf’s jaw bone like Solas’, it’s a single feather. The small charm is so intricately carved, she can’t believe it to be made from stone until she brushes her fingers against it.

“Oh Solas, this is- I’ve never seen- it’s so pretty!” Felicity forgets her discomfort in an instant, looking over herself, trying to take in everything before running to the mirror to get the full picture. “I can wear this, right, Josie? Oh, please say I can! I have my own pendant and everything!” Joy and relief overwhelm Solas for a moment as Felicity happily bounces in front of the mirror, the mage growing smug as he watches the face of the Orlesian pale. 

“What a handy spell to know.” Josephine muses, looking over the outfit and finding not a single flaw with it, adoring the rich colors. She would make a fierce figure, inspiring, and that was precisely what they needed right now. “You look marvelous, Lady Felicity. Tomorrow, I will have some servants come up to do your hair. I apologize, Lady Frey, it seems we do not require your services today.” Her tone is as pleasant as always, but it is impossible to miss the hard edge in her eyes. It seemed she had also noticed the Orlesians less than stellar treatment of Felicity. 

“Thank you so much, Solas!” Felicity nearly flies back across the room into his arms, hugging him tight before pulling back to beam up at him. His breath catches in his throat, stunned by her for a moment. “Dáithí, look! I have my own footwraps!” As if to emphasize that fact, she wiggles her toes for all to see.

“You look perfect. When we have your new armor made, perhaps we should go with a similar style.”

“That would be awesome!” They continue to bounce ideas around, Josephine quietly seeing to Lady Frey’s exit, but not before making sure to write down the measurements they’d gotten for Felicity. Clearly, they were in need of some other tailors, and she adds that to her already long list of things to do.

“I should ask what style of clothes do you prefer, Lady Felicity? I admit to only having seen you in sweaters and armor.”

“I mean, I love sweaters, especially with too-long sleeves. I like leggings that are comfy, flowy dresses, and sandals. I like things with flowers. More earthy colors, though I am a sucker for patterned t-shirts. Not that you have those here, but still. Here, stuff like this.” Felicity closes her eyes, concentrating on her magic, on casting disguise self, but instead of changing her entire body, she just makes it look like she’s wearing different outfits. Josephine is stunned as she watches Felicity change, cycling through her favorite clothes from Earth. 

“Da’asha, I think you’ve broken the Ambassador,” Panelan says with a laugh, Josephine’s pen having finally frozen over her clipboard as she watched Felicity’s impromptu fashion show. 

“Sorry, Josie, that was probably a lot to take in.”

“It is alright, I- I will keep that in mind when I speak to the tailors. If you’ll excuse me, there are a few more things I must address tonight still.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Josie?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t forget to take a break, okay? Here, you can snack on these and tell me what you think.” Felicity creates a small box of chocolates out of thin air, passing them over to the Ambassador with a little smile. “The little round ones are my favorite.”

With a fond smile, Josie nods, quickly walking out as Panelan comes up behind Felicity.

“Why do I not get snacks?”

“You aren’t almost single-handedly keeping Skyhold running. Actually, since we’re on the subject of you, what are you going to do, Llewellyn? Are you going to stay?”

“I was thinking about that, da’asha, and I think I will be staying. I came to help, that hasn’t changed.”

“Are you gonna like… join the forces or something like that?” Everyone in the room watched as Felicity deflated at the idea that she wouldn’t be able to see her newest friend. 

“I was going to talk to the Ambassador about applying for the position as one of your guards.” The instant surprise and delight on her face makes everyone else in the room smile. It was news to Solas that Panelan was thinking of doing this, but he had no problems. In fact, this would make everything a great deal easier. Trusting her wellbeing to some randomly appointed guard would have been nearly impossible, but with Panelan, it would be a different story.

“Really?! That would be awesome! Then you and I could get into trouble all the time! And then I won’t have to have strangers stalking my every step.”

“Well, I imagine they will have more than one for you, but yes. One as troublesome as you needs all the help she can get.”

“I wonder who else they’ll pick?” Felicity, completely ignoring his jab at her troublesome nature, pulls Solas back to the large couch to cuddle. “Do you think I could convince Josie that I don’t need servants? Because I really don’t. I can get dressed on my own and do my hair and everything.”

“Again, I think it is more for appearances than anything else.”

“How come you don’t need servants or anything?”

“I am not the Inquisitor. I am but a humble apostate who studies the Fade.”

“Right, how could I forget that you’re the Inquisition’s hobo egg.” Felicity rolls her eyes, giggling as Solas tickles her side. “Stop it, I can’t breathe!” She says through her laughter, finally wiggling away and dashing straight to Dáithí. “Save me!” He leans forward enough to let her crawl behind him in the overly large plush chair, her hands snagging one of the pillows to hide under. 

“‘ _Ma vhen’an,_ you surely do not think a little bit of distance is going to change anything.” Blue magic sparks in his eyes and a heartbeat later, Felicity is once again laughing and squirming, cursing her hobo egg whenever she could catch her breath.

“Someone is clearly having fun,” Acacia announces as she walks in, smiling at where Felicity is laying on the ground laughing. “I could hear you all the way in my room.”

“Where have they got you staying?” Felicity asks as Solas finally lets her breathe, Dáithí helping her back up from where she’d fallen from all her wiggling.

“All those stairs you took to get here? I’m about halfway up those, there is a hall that goes off to the right. It’s a nice room, thankfully not nearly as big as this. What are you going to do with all the space?”

“Hell if I know. Have really big sleepover parties?”

“Vivienne greatly disapproves,” Cole mutters as he appears at the door, Felicity breaking into a fit of giggles at everyone’s confused expression. She spends the next three hours explaining what she can from the game and the companion’s approval as well as explain to Panelan just where she’s from. And though he already knew, having listened in the first time she spoke of it, he acts suitably surprised.

When she starts an epic pillow fight, Cole’s words echo in her mind again.

Vivienne most definitely disapproves, and Felicity couldn’t be any happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brother, who has been helping me with this story since the beginning, has recently started to do some art of it as well. Right now he's finished Felicity's and Dáithí's portraits, and he's got so many other projects he's working on for No Longer A Game. We're trying to finish out her armor, we'll see how that goes. :D I have a bad habit of not really describing things so he has a hard time drawing them, but we're making progress... I think. 
> 
> You can take a look if you are so inclined, I'll try to put in notes as he gets more done. I wanna see if he can draw me Felicity as a dragon because, I mean, that would be the best! :D  
>   
> <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/nolongeragameart>  
> 


	23. Chapter 23

Two maids come bustling into the room early in the morning, their arms full of all manner of hair product. They sit her down, quickly washing her curls before cutting them. During the mess that was In Your Heart Shall Burn, sections of her hair had been burned and damaged by all the magic and fighting. What had been curls halfway down her back was now suddenly cut above her shoulders, and- as Felicity had predicted- they were wilder without the weight of the rest of her hair keeping them down. 

Thoughts of taming her curls are quickly thrown out the windows, the women instead focusing on braiding and pinning back sections of it to keep the curls out of her face. Once that was done, they started with the makeup, something Felicity wasn’t used to. It always took so much effort to look as nice as other people in the office, and that was something Felicity could never manage to do. The Thedas equivalents of lipstick and eyeshadow are easy enough, the eyeliner- kohl they called it- was harder as she found it hard not to flinch away when they come at her eyes with what looks like pencil sticks.

They offer to send someone up to help with her armor, but Felicity quickly waves them off. As she looked at herself in the mirror, all done up and formal, the anxiety was spiking again. The small patterns of scales on her face and neck remained visible, her golden eyes still glowing faintly, and as she smiles, even the soft pink lipstick couldn’t soften the new points to her canines. 

Once Solas helps her back into the armor he’d created for her, Felicity can barely recognize her reflection. The woman in the mirror looked self-assured, fierce, but not scary, not unapproachable. When Solas appears in the mirror behind her, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulders, Felicity smiles.

“Sometimes I forget just how tall you are.”

“I am not that tall, da’len, you are just rather small.”

“Uh-huh, you keep telling yourself that, buddy.” Felicity leans back against him, calming herself as she feels his spirit still ever-constant within her. “I’m going to assume you can’t be up there with me during the ceremony?”

“You would assume correctly.”

“I hope that big sword isn’t as heavy as it looked.”

“You will be alright, Felicity.”

“I know. I just- I keep wondering if I made the right choice. If it should really be me leading.”

“Do not doubt yourself, _vhen’an._ You felt it as well as I in the war room after you agreed to take the position. A shiver of ancient magic in the air, the very bones of Skyhold agreed with your choice. And I will help you as much as I can.”

“I love you.” Felicity sighs, her eyes sliding shut as Solas supports her.

“As I love you. Come, it is time for us to join the others.”

All of the Advisors look a little more formal than they usually do, even Acacia all dressed up. Though Felicity would be leading the Inquisition, Acacia would still be a major part of that as she would be relying on her to close rifts and the like. The specifics of how this all was going to work were still up in the air, but Acacia would essentially be Felicity’s right hand, both of the Maker’s chosen acting as the face for the Inquisition. 

Acacia gushes over Felicity’s formal robes, delighted to see the little bits of elven style in the many layers. But more than that, her new short hairstyle had both Acacia and Josephine in awe as they reach out at various times to fix a few errant curls that decided not to go with the flow.

“I will see you after, Felicity.” He steps away, though his spirit seems to grow stronger within, and she nods with a small smile.

“Okay, don’t forget to cheer.” She teases, unable to picture her quiet and serious man ever shouting and cheering in the crowd. 

“Da’asha, you look splendid.” Panelan’s voice has Felicity spinning around in search of the source, surprised to see him standing them looking perfectly at home in his Inquisition styled armor and coat. 

“You’re going to be my guard? It’s really okay?” Felicity turns her eyes to Cullen and Josie, who both smile and nod. “Oh thank god! I was so worried about who you’d pick when you said that I’d need guards. Fuck, okay, I can’t cry yet, shit.” Felicity sputters out curses as she tries not to cry from her overwhelming relief washing over her.

“There were many requests to join your guard when I began searching for people to fill the position. But Ser Llewellyn proved himself more than capable early this morning. I’ve never seen a mage so quick with blades before. We have one more at present, pending your approval, of course, but he is a fine warrior who’s done nothing but further the Inquisition’s cause since he joined.”

Felicity turns when she hears someone walking up to the, and there, dressed in a similar style of armor as Panelan, stands probably the largest Qunari Felicity has seen- not counting Bull. His skin was dark gray, damn near charcoal black, with impressive horns that curled back behind his head. In contrast to his dark skin, his eyes are light gray, little flecks of blue scattered throughout. 

“My goodness, you’re tall.” Felicity quickly walks up to him, her head craning back just so she could meet his gaze. “My name’s Felicity. What’s your’s?”

“Adaar.”

“Your first name?”

“He prefers Adaar-”

“Akari.” The large Qunari interrupts Cullen to answer the question, the Commander more than a little surprised he answered. Adaar was a good man, a fine warrior, and there weren’t any concerns Cullen had regarding him. But he was a man of few words and had made it clear he didn’t want to be addressed or known by his first name. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. This is Llewellyn, he-”

“Oh we met, da’asha, he was one of the ones I spared against.” Adaar’s eyes flicker to the elf, respectfully nodding in greeting to him, which Panelan quickly echoed back. 

“Oh, good. I think he’ll do great! Though I do look a little foolish standing next to him.” Felicity giggles as she moves to stand side by side with Adaar, turning to look back at the Advisors who have to agree. The size difference is almost comical. “Sorry in advance for any shenanigans you get pulled into, Adaar. Okay, so are we doing this? Because I don’t know how much longer I can stand to keep my hair like this. Some of these braids are really tight.”

Josephine leads the way with the other Advisors, addressing the crowd outside the keep’s main doors, Acacia hanging back with Felicity and her new guards. The cheers that arise from the mention that an Inquisitor had finally been chosen is loud, much louder than Felicity expected. She began to wonder just how many people were outside waiting for her.

“Wow, that sounds like a lot of people.”

“Take a deep breath.” Adaar’s low voice nearly startles Felicity, but she does as he says, breathing out when he says. After a few more breaths, she feels a lot steadier. 

“I feel bad for you two, you’re going to be babysitting me for a while.” Adaar just shakes his head, his eyes fixating back on the door. As the minutes drag on, Felicity decides to send a quick message to Solas.

_“I’ve got guards now. You’ll never guess who. You can reply to this message.”_

_“Did Llewellyn get approved?”_

_“He did! But I have another one too. Just wait, it’s funny to see us standing next to each other- oh shit, they’re opening the door!”_

_“Relax, Felicity, you can handle this. Do not forget to smile, my love.”_

Felicity and Acacia walk out the doors, both drawing a quick breath at the sheer number of people who had gathered before them. The crowd is completely silent as they watch both elves step out into the sunlight. It doesn’t take long for whispers to ripple through the crowd as the people begin to recognize Felicity.

As nonchalantly as she can, Felicity scans the crowd, her eyes catching on the familiar faces of those in the Inner Circle, Rylen and Dáithí, Flissa and Harrit, but she doesn’t stop searching until she finds familiar blue eyes locked on her alone. Solas stands near the back, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, watching her with a proud smile. His spirit warms in her chest when she finally finds him, and her smile shifts to one of genuine happiness, a soft glow forming around her. 

Josephine’s words are lost on her, Cassandra and Leliana she can barely even hear, and when they hold the sword out to her, it takes a moment to focus back on the ceremony that had been giving her so much anxiety this morning. In this moment, though, everything seemed quiet, peaceful, not a single bit of worry or stress anywhere in her. All she felt was happiness, Solas’ spirit, and the ancient magic of Skyhold singing in the air.

This was right.

The night before, she had practiced what she would say, how she would say it. And she has to admit, she drew a great deal from various sources and bits of movies and books and history she could remember. Public speaking had never been her strong suit, making and presenting speeches so much harder for her than just talking to people. Felicity takes a deep breath before launching into her little spiel. 

“Corypheus wants to reign over Thedas, destroying all those that stand in his way. We can no longer be distracted and consumed by our petty differences of race and nationality and religion; we must unite in our common interests, our shared enemy. Corypheus threatens us all, and The Inquisition will rise to meet his challenge. We will defend our homes, whatever the costs. We will fight on the beaches, fight on the land, fight in the fields, and in the streets. We will fight in the mountains and in the hills. We will never surrender!” 

The cheering of the crowd is deafening, Felicity glowing ever brighter as a new surety of purpose washes over her shoulder. 

“Have our people been told?” Cassandra loudly asks as they all snap out of their surprise at Felicity’s words, her confidence. 

“They have, and soon, the world!”

“Commander, will they follow?”

“Inquisition, will you follow? Will we fight? Will we triumph?” The roaring of the crowd only grows at Cullen’s words, the breath knocked from Felicity’s chest at the response they were getting. “Your leader, your Inquisitor!” Felicity takes the ceremonial sword in hand, thrusting it into the air high overhead, her magic flaring around her. Spirits press against the Veil, forever committing to memory this moment in Thedas’ history. 

The world would change, and that change began here and now within the walls of Skyhold.

~~~~~

As workers bustle around preparing for the feast they would hold tonight, Felicity heads to the war room with the others, those Inner Circle also joining.

“Congrats, short stuff!” Bull pulls Felicity into a bone-crushing hug, letting her go when Dorian slaps his arm.

“You’re going to break her, you great oaf.” Bull just laughs, letting a gasping Felicity go. 

“Nah, but seriously, way to go Firecracker. It’s about time someone with sense took the lead.” Varric casts a teasing glance at Acacia, who gasps in mock outrage.

“You have not heard her plans for the loft in her room, Master Tethras, I would not exactly call her sensible.” It’s Felicity’s turn to be dramatic and gasp at Solas, who just chuckles, pulling her close to kiss her forehead. 

“I’ll forgive you if you help get these braids out. They feel like they’re stretching my whole face out.” Solas quietly gets to work freeing her hair, snickering as the curls bounce back into place, sections of her hair falling in her face until she tucks them behind her ears. 

“Shall we get down to business?” Josephine isn’t so much as asking a question as she is demanding their attention. “There is a great deal to cover, after all.”

Felicity steps forward to stand next to Acacia, looking down over the large maps of Ferelden and Orlais that cover the table. There was indeed a great deal they needed to cover, but much of it would have to wait until the Inquisition was better settled in Skyhold. 

“Inquisitor Pennel-”

“Felicity.”

“Inquisitor Felicity-”

“Just Felicity. I don’t need the title all the time.” Josie is about to argue, but Leliana motions for her to continue regardless.

“As you all are aware, Felicity has accepted the role of Inquisitor. We will be able to put her knowledge to greater use this way as we try and stabilize Thedas and stop Corypheus. She has been assigned two guards, both of which you all should get familiar with in case you end up traveling with her.” Josie points to the two men standing back near the door. Panelan smiles at everyone, even going so far as to wink at Felicity, which sends her into a fit of giggles. Adaar nods in greeting, his eyes locked on Bull. It was no secret that Bull was still with the Ben Hassrath, Adaar would have been able to tell from a mile away. 

He didn’t miss that life.

“Alright, so, once we get everything up and running, we need to head to the Fallow Mire, the troops that got sent there to scout got taken by Avvar…”

They spend a good two and a half hours just going over information regarding the Fallow Mire, the Storm Coast, and the Hinterland. Plans are set in motion to begin scouting out the areas Felicity had mentioned, Cullen and Josie making notes to prepare groups of people to be sent. None are thrilled when Felicity brings up the ocularum and their origins, and they are less pleased when Felicity says they’ll have to use them to collect the shards. They couldn’t fall into the Venatori’s hands.

“There will be several spies infiltrating the King and Queen of Ferelden’s palace, we should be getting a letter to deal with them. If we get any messages from your clan, Acacia, we need to be careful. The Duke of Wycome is poisoning the people there with red lyrium, and if we don’t handle the situation delicately, Clan Lavellen could all be killed. Bull, if you and the Chargers want to head towards Therinfal Redoubt to see what became of the Templars, search for any survivors. Maybe even kill a demon or two.”

“Sounds good, boss.”

“When we have time, we need to search out what remains of the Seekers, they’re in a keep, but I can’t for the life of me remember where. The real Lord Seeker is there as well. Sera is going to need a march through Verchiel soon, though be careful with your friends because I’m pretty sure it turns out to be a trap. Also, we need to get Dagna the Archanist here, so that’ll be fun. Um… that should be all. I mean, not all, but enough to do right now. We still need to reach out to Varric’s friend and the Empress, so I think that’s plenty because we still have a lot of work to do here.”

“Indeed. I have several applicants for the position of your assistant, I will arrange to have you meet them tomorrow. While you are here, we will need to create a seal and family crest for yourself as I assume your family didn’t have one. Did they use seals on Earth?”

“Way back when, yeah, but not while I’ve been alive. Um, what does it have to look like?”

“That is entirely up to you. It will be used when sending out formal letters and such as well as signing official documents.” Felicity’s eyes narrow as she tries to think of something that’ll work for a seal, but she comes up blank. 

“Do you have a seal?” She turns to Solas, who shakes his head, though it is a lie. “Any ideas?”

“What do you like? What do you feel like represents you?”

“I… I don’t know! Josie, can I have time to think about it?”

“Of course, let me know if you have any questions. Now, I’ll let everyone retire to their rooms and prepare for the feast tonight. Inquisitor, I had a dress sent up for you if you would like to try it on.”

“Okay, thanks, bye!” Felicity is already rushing from the room, Panelan and Adaar hot on her heels as most in the war room chuckle. 

She gets turned around a few times as she races through the maze-like hallways to get back to her room, Panelan snickering every time he corrects one of her turns. Once there, she nearly kicks the door in, huffing and puffing from all the stairs and throws herself onto the bed, pillowing flying out in all directions. After she calms down, she peeks over at Panelan and Adaar. Panelan sits in one of the chairs relaxing, flipping through the pages of one of Solas’ books. Adaar stands vigilant by the door, arms crossed over his chest.

“I’m impressed they got you guys matching Inquisition armor on such short notice.”

“This is actually just for in between. Once you have your family colors and seal set, we will be fitted more closely to those as a show of who we guard and our position within the Inquisition itself.”

“Oh, I… wow, that’s a lot to take in. What colors do you guys like? I’d hate to pick some out and find out you hate them.” Panelan laughs, shaking his head with a big grin.

“I’ll look good in anything.”

“Okay, now you sound like Dorian. Not that you’re wrong, but still.” Felicity turns her eyes to Adaar, who has yet to say anything on the subject. “I take it you don’t care either?” He gives her a single nod, and Felicity just sighs. “I like almost every color, I have no idea how I am going to pick! Maybe Dáithí can help.”

“Do you want me to go find him?”

“I can go-”

“No, da’asha, you can’t. You’re supposed to be getting ready for the feast, it wouldn’t do to have you wandering the keep instead. I’ll go get him.” Panelan is gone before Felicity can argue with him, leaving Felicity alone in the room with the still very silent Adaar.

“Hey, Adaar?” His eyes flicker to hers, but other than that, he doesn’t answer. “Have you ever considered painting your horns? Like vitaar, but not really because it’s just paint. It could be pretty badass.”

“I have not.”

“Does vitaar hurt when you put it on?”

“It stings.”

“Are there classes taught on how to paint them on, or do the patterns and colors not matter.”

“There are classes, but it doesn’t really make a difference.”

“Am I annoying you?”

“You are not.” Felicity nods, resting her head back onto the pillows, feeling very tired all of a sudden. That’s how Dáithí and Solas find Felicity once they make it to her room, Panelan snickering yet again at her odd sleeping position. She’s on her stomach, one arm holding the pillow under her head, the other tossed straight out to the side. And though she’s on her stomach, her legs are somehow crossed as if she were sitting, one ankle resting on the opposite knee. She’s bent at odd angles none of the men think would be comfortable, but as she was sleeping soundly, they couldn’t really say for sure. 

“Adaar, I was wondering what became of you.” Dáithí greets the Qunari with a nod. Adaar nods back, looking down at the man he’d worked many a mission with. 

“Commander Cullen was looking for a guard, I offered my services.”

“I see. Has she been sleeping this whole time?”

“Since Llewellyn left to find you, yes. Almost an hour now.”

“Today was a lot for her, the feast is going to be pushing her to the limit for one day. Much of this is so far removed from her normal routine here, even more so from her typical day to day life back on Earth. It’s going to take some time before she is used to it.” Solas quietly walks to the bed, another flicker of magic warming the air as he gently tucks one of the blankets around her. 

“Even so, she did wonderfully.” Dáithí thinks back to watching her stand above the crowd, sword in hand, her words as powerful as they were sure. “You said she wanted my opinion on colors?”

“I mentioned that this armor was temporary until she has a crest, seal, and colors. She didn’t know what to pick, I assume she was going to ask you what you thought would be good choices.” Panelan returns to his previous seat, picking back where he’d left off in the history book. 

“Did she try on the dress the Ambassador said she had delivered?”

“No, da’asha jumped straight onto the bed when she got here.”

“Don’t call me little…” Felicity slurs as she forces her eyes open, though she pulls the blanket tighter around her and snuggles closer into the bed.

“Are you feeling alright, _vhen’an?_ ”

“Yeah, I was just sleepy. Is Dáithí here yet?”

“I am.” Felicity slowly nods, trying to sit up, but failing miserably. So she stays where she is, craning her neck a little farther to look at him. 

“Do you have a seal?”

“I do. Do you need it for something?”

“I need a seal and a crest and colors and stuff, but I don’t know what it should be, and I don’t have any examples. I don’t wanna make a dumb-looking one.”

“Tomorrow, I could show you.”

“Okay, thank you. You’re the best.” Felicity’s sleepy smile draws one from Dáithí as he watches her eyes start to fall shut again.

“I’ll wake you up when we get closer to dinner, Felicity, go back to sleep.” His spirit once again warms within hers, Felicity immediately relaxing and drifting back off.

~~~~~

Solas wakes Felicity an hour before she was expected to make her appearance, the others having taken their leave, though he was pretty sure Adaar was still outside the door.

“Do I even want to see the dress?”

“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” And he truly did. Josephine had clearly taken her likes into consideration when she had this dress made on such short notice. Her happy little gasp when she sees what’s waiting for her in the mostly empty closest puts a smile on Solas’ face.

“It’s beautiful!”

“It will pale in comparison to the woman wearing it.” Solas kisses the tip of her ear, chuckling when she gently elbows him.

“Oh hush, that’s too cheesy.”

Felicity is quickly out of her mage robes and stepping into the dress. It was fitted from the sweetheart neckline down to her waist, the white fabric flaring out in waves to create the skirt. The long sleeves also cling like a second skin, Felicity excitedly squealing when the fabric connects to a ring on each sleeve that leads to her middle fingers, a section of the fabric covering the backs of her hands. She’s out into the middle of her room in a heartbeat, spinning around, giggling like a schoolgirl when the skirt flares out dramatically around her. The silky white fabric must have been embroidered with gold thread because as she moved around in the light, little flickers of gold danced on the material. That effect is only amplified when she starts to glow as well.

“Solas, look!” He leans against the wall as he watches her with a grin on his face as she laughs and spins across the room. She was so pure, and she was his. 

How had he ever gotten so lucky?

“I have something to give you as well if you would like to see.” He pushes away from the wall, pulling Felicity to the tall mirror so that they were both facing the reflections. Slowly he raises his hands to her head, magic shimmering in their wake as they slowly move up before the spell washes down her entire body from the crown of her head. Her curls are somewhat tamed by the magic, at least staying out of her face, and there sitting atop her curls, almost lost in the blonde, is a delicate tiara. 

Little gems cut in the shape of brilliant stars stand out the most, all of them connected by the most delicate twisting band of gold she’d ever seen. Along the gold twists are small gems barely bigger than the head of a pin, but they glitter and glint when caught in the light, and as Felicity created her own light, they never seemed to stop twinkling. But the spell doesn’t stop there, her lips now shimmering with a similar gold as the tiara, darker eyeshadow making her eyes pop even more than the gold usually did.

“You made me a crown…” Her eyes flicker from the stars in her hair and up to Solas, who was watching her reaction with a smile. “A princess tiara, that’s what you’re giving me. I’ve never seen anything as pretty. Thank you!” Tears quickly fill her eyes, Solas spinning her around to kiss her, now too tempting, lips. Though neither the kiss nor the tears would smudge the makeup he had used magic to create, Solas draws back, with a lingering kiss against her. He knows that if he kept going, there would be no stopping tonight, and she had obligations already. 

“Can I wear the foot wraps still?” Solas nods, the dress went all the way to the floor, no one would be seeing her feet, so it should be fine if she kept the wraps on. “Alright, let’s go. I wanna show everyone the tiara!” 

Felicity was much more excited about the feast than he expected she would be, but he certainly wasn’t going to complain. It was nice to see her happy and carefree for a change. When they step out the door, Adaar quickly moves to follow after them, but he pauses when he sees Felicity, his eyes going wide.

Felicity had looked good before, fierce in her mage coat. She seemed like she could fight the world and come out on the other side unscathed. Adaar has to admit, he hadn’t seen much of Felicity in Haven, but he assumed that’s who she was. A fighter, goofy and friendly sure, but a warrior under all that light. Now, though, it was hard to imagine her fighting anything. She glowed and glittered, but not in a gaudy way that some nobles did when they put gems on everything. The people calling her the Lightbringer may be onto something, because right now even though Adaar wasn’t Adrastian, he could have sworn she was the holy light of the Maker made real. 

“Adaar, look at what Solas made for me!” Just like that, she’s standing in front of him, beaming up as she points to the tiara she wears. “Have you ever seen anything so lovely?”

“No, I have not.” He answers honestly, though his eyes are on her, not the tiara. Adaar glances at Solas, the elf watching as the determination to protect Felicity solidifies in his eyes. “Llewellyn is waiting at the bottom of the stairs.”

“Llewellyn, look what Solas gave me!” She calls, immediately rushing down the steps to show him.

“She is a lot to take in.” Solas quietly says to Adaar as they follow, the sound of Felicity’s laughter at Panelan’s harmless flirting echoing up to them.

“Yes.”

“...They cannot take her light.”

“They won’t get the chance,” Adaar growls, his anger only growing towards Corypheus and his ilk. 

“Thank you.” Solas smiles at him, catching Felicity as she once again bounces into his arms. Just as quickly as she is there, she is gone, off running towards where Josephine stands talking with Acacia.

“Josie, this is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen!”

“You look radiant, I am glad you like it. There wasn’t much time for complex designs, I was worried that-”

“No, this is perfect! And look at what Solas made me!” Felicity leans her head down a little so they could better see the tiara, both women gasping at the little stars that glitter almost too lifelike to be real. Before either can voice their awe at the gift, Felicity spots Dáithí walking towards them with Cullen and Rylen. Once again, she is off running, all three men stopping dead in the tracks when they see her approaching.

“Maker’s breath.” Cullen and Rylen both mutter as Felicity happily chirps about how beautiful the dress was and what Solas had given her and how perfectly the skirt flares out when she spins.

“Da’ean, slow down.” Dáithí chides with a smile, carefully fixing her curls to keep them out of her face again. “If you keep running around like this, you’re going to ruin all the hard work to get your hair to behave.”

“Right, right… But look how pretty it is! It sparkles just like real stars!” She continues to gush as others of the Inner Circle begin to show up. They all would be sitting at the head table at the front of the large throne room in the keep. 

“Maybe Firecracker was the wrong nickname. Something like Glitter or Starlight might fit better.”

“I like Firecracker, though. But Starlight is also super pretty, so I won’t complain either way. Cole, come here, we need to do something about this hat, I can’t see your eyes.”

Cullen and Acacia stand off to the side, watching as Felicity flits around between everyone in the room, but never very far from Solas. And when he moved to talk with someone, whether she knew it or not, Felicity would move to follow.

“Felicity is stunning.”

“She’s not the only one,” Cullen says, glancing off in the other direction as his cheeks heat. When Acacia takes his hand in hers, his eyes snap back to her.

“Thank you. I’m- I’m sorry I couldn’t lead, I just-”

“Acacia, you don’t need to apologize for that. Everything has worked itself out, I just… you deserve to be happy, no one should take that from you.” 

“Thank you, Cullen. I am happy here.” Feeling bold for whatever reason, Acacia pulls on his arm, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his scruffy cheek. Just like that, she’s gone, off talking to Josephine about something, but not once do Cullen’s wide eyes leave her.

“Finally,” Varric mutters as he watches a stunned Cullen stare after Acacia.

Maybe things were finally looking up.


	24. Chapter 24

They walk into the throne room in small groups, all of them taking their assigned seats. Felicity, of course, is in the middle, Adaar and Llewellyn on her left, with Dáithí, Solas, and many of those she was closest to the Inner Circle just beyond them. On her right sat Acacia, with Cullen and the other Advisors seated on that side, Vivienne making a show of sitting on that side as well, not that Felicity gave a single flying fuck where that witch sat. 

Josephine begins the meal with another quick speech before the food is brought out. There was all manner of dishes set out before them, many more passed out to the dozens of long tables filling the rest of the room. Felicity’s mouth waters just smelling everything; Adaar quickly stands to help her reach the various dishes partly because her arms couldn’t reach them all, but also partly because he didn’t want her to get anything on her dress. 

As they all begin to eat, people start coming up to the table to talk with her, Felicity barely getting a bite of food before the next person is there for her to talk to. Most just wanted to offer their thanks and prayers for her to be able to end the chaos. Others wanted to ask questions about her magic and ability to transform, most of which Josephine was able to sidetrack before Felicity really had to get into the nitty-gritty that even she didn’t quite understand. 

Time dragged on, Felicity eating only half her small plate before the servants were coming around to clear the dishes and prepare for dessert. Some sort of fruit pie or crumble that smelled absolutely divine is brought out, Felicity taking a large bite just as an Orlesian noble steps up to the table. She tries to chew and swallow as quickly as she can, but she can see the irritation in the lord’s eyes just behind the mask. 

“Hello.” She smiles at him, though that smile falters as he scoffs down at her. 

“So this is the Inquisition? Dirty old ruins and battered soldiers? And it’s leader an uneducated knife ear surrounded by barbaric animals? Seeker, you-”

“Silence!” Felicity snaps, jumping to her feet, her hands slamming down on the table. “You don’t get to come up here and spout off garbage just because you have money or a title or anything as inane as that. What is your name?” Again, Solas doesn’t know if she knows it, but there are hints of magic in her words, enough to compel the weak-minded but go mostly undetected.

“Lord Syal of-”

“Commander, if you could, please make sure Mister Syal is gone from Skyhold come morning. Josephine, I’d like a note to be made, I don’t want any business done with him or his family.”

“You cannot possibly-”

“You insulted my people on our day of celebration. You insulted my friends and my colleagues and my Keep. I think you’ll find I most certainly can. Good day, ser.” Felicity sits back down, immediately taking another bite and acting as if the pompous lord weren’t even there. 

“You think a title will make you important, but all you’ll ever be in a knife ear whore-”

“Guards! Take him out of here, he is leaving tonight it seems.” Cullen barks as he stands, glaring at the Orlesian who continues to sputter as guards appear to lead him out of the keep. With a satisfied huff, Cullen sits back down, turning back to his food, much like Felicity had. 

What had been a constant chatter in the main hall was now not more than whispers, and Felicity frowns at her plate before standing back up, looking out over those gathered around the tables.

“I’m not going to tolerate such behavior. Not directed at me, not at my colleagues, not my soldiers and scouts and spies, not against my servant, not anyone. If that is how you behave and treat people, this is your warning to change or get out. It is intolerable that you would discriminate against someone because of their race, or their social class, or anything other than their words and deeds.” Felicity sits back down, her back stiff as a board as she takes another bite while trying not to cry.

Then, from the left side of the room, someone begins to clap. Then more people join in, others cheering, until soon, the entire hall is filled with people on their feet applauding. There are some who look less than happy at her words, but that was to be expected. Others flat out walked out after the guards, but even that didn’t bother Felicity. Better that they left now and took their asshole-ish ways with them. 

When those at her table, all her friends stand up to clap as well, Felicity’s tears finally spill over. As she sniffles, people begin to come up again, thanking her for taking a stand, for defending them and those they care about. By the time Felicity is excused for the night, she’s starving, having barely eaten anything. 

When she and Solas get to their room, Adaar and Llewellyn heading to theirs just a level below hers, Felicity bursts into tears again when she sees two of the servants setting up the table with plates of food that she hadn’t gotten the chance to try. They look terrified at her tears, at least until Solas assures them that they are happy tears, and Felicity pulls both women in hugs, thanking them repeatedly.

“Alright now, lass, sit down and eat. You’re going to make yourself sick crying on like this.” The older woman says as she pats Felicity’s back, gently nudging her into the chair.

“Thank you.” Solas thanks both women as they gather up the trays and prepare to leave. The older woman, probably in her seventies or eighties, hangs back for a moment, her eyes on where Felicity is still sniffling over her fennec stew.

“You take care of her.” His smile is one hundred percent genuine as he looks down at the woman who was waving a wooden spoon at him threateningly.

“I will.” She just huffs in response, following after the other woman and shuts the door behind her. Solas sits next to Felicity, who turns her red, teary eyes to him as she shovels another spoonful of stew into her mouth.

“They saw I didn’t get to eat. They brought me food!” She sniffles, quickly chewing and swallowing so she could take another bite. “I was so hungry, but I didn’t want to be rude and tell people to leave me alone.”

“You did marvelously, Felicity.”

“But that asshole-”

“You handled him just right, _vhen’an._ You showed your people you will stand up for them even against the nobility. Most of the minorities have been discriminated against all their lives, to have someone in power publicly stand up for them means a great deal to them.”

“I thought maybe I’d put my foot in my mouth.”

“Far from it. Eat, da’len, and then we can go to bed.” Felicity nods as she continues to sniffle and cry, making offhand comments about how lovely all the food was. 

“I should go thank the cooks and everyone.” Felicity gathers up the dishes, Solas quickly takes them before she dirties the dress. “S-sorry, thanks.” Solas just nods, following after Felicity like a shadow as she makes her ways through the quiet keep to the kitchens. 

There is a buzz of activity in there as servants clean dishes and try to gather all the leftovers to be saved for the next day in the large cooler they had made, one of the mages there having made a great deal of ice to keep everything from spoiling. Others are getting things ready for the morning meal, and others still are getting plates made up for all of them to eat once their work was done.

When they see Felicity walking in, still faintly glowing even with the tear stains on her cheeks, all work comes screeching to a halt.

“It was all wonderful, I just wanted to let you know. Thank you for all the work you put in.” She bows her head, Solas passing off the dishes to one of the stunned servants, the young man’s wide eyes stuck on Felicity. “Let me know if you guys need anything, okay?” They nod, still stunned as she nods back before quietly walking out and back to her room.

It takes a moment for work to resume in the kitchens, everyone whispering about their Inquisitor, but for a change, all the whispers were kind.

Once back in her room, Felicity reverently takes off her tiara and places it on the dresser in the walk-in closet, carefully stepping out of the dress and hanging it back up. She pulls on one of Solas’ sweaters and heads back into the room, Solas already in loose trousers laying back on the mattress. 

“I knew you had abs.” Felicity smiles, too tired to be embarrassed as she openly stares. It wasn’t just abs that he had either, but all his muscles were lean and defined and altogether too tempting. His low chuckle beacons her closer, Felicity falling into his arms and snuggling close. 

“Go to sleep, _vhen’an,_ you will need your rest for tomorrow.”

“Solas?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

 _“Ar lath’ ma vhen’an.”_ He whispers back as she drifts off, Solas remaining away for a few moments before joining her. He needed to speak with Panelan regarding having some more agents work their way into Skyhold as well as get reports from how things are holding up back at the ruins of his temple. 

He’s surprised when he feels two familiar presences in the Fade, and just like that, he forgets about reports and work, instead working his way to them as fast as he can.

It seemed Thelris and Virdi finally woke up.

~~~~~~

Neither Felicity nor Solas are ready for the morning when it finally reaches them. When two servants come into the room, their arms full of various clothes to find the two elves tangled up together in the blankets, they both freeze. Felicity wakes first, Solas passing along final messages before pulling himself from the Fade. She sits up, her hair a mess of knots and tangles pointed in every direction, going still as stone as she sees the two sets of eyes locked on her. 

“Um… hello?” Solas sits up as well, the young servant’s cheeks heating as the blankets fall away from his still shirtless torso. “H-How can I help you?” She stutters, her own face flushing as she spares a glance for Solas. 

“Ambassador Montilyet had these made for you, they should be able to get you through until a proper wardrobe can be made. Would you like for breakfast to be brought up here?”

“Oh, can I? That’d be swell, thanks. Um, Solas, you’re distracting me, I think you need to put a shirt on.”

“And your delightful legs are distracting me, _vhen’an,_ perhaps you should put pants on as well.” He didn’t care that they were being stared at, Solas was still in a good mood from finally being able to talk with his friends again. His laughter at her sputtering and heated cheeks breaks the tension, both the servants cracking smiles as Felicity thwacks Solas with a pillow.

“If you wanna put those on the couch, I’ll go through them in a second. What’s for breakfast?”

“What would you like?” They reply as they carefully lay out her new outfits.

“Um… I mean, whatever they’ve got is good, I don’t wanna make extra work for anyone.” One of them opens her mouth to tell Felicity it wouldn’t be extra work as this would be their normal job, but the younger of the two interrupts her.

“They had some fresh bread with salted meats and some cheeses. There is also oatmeal, berries, and milk.”

“Some bread and stuff would be great, right, Solas? Did they have any of that dessert from last night leftover by any chance?”

“They did. Would you like some of that as well?”

“If it isn’t too much trouble.” The young girl smiles and shakes her head, pulling the other woman out of the room quickly to go work on getting Felicity’s food.

“I think you gave the quiet one quite the shock at wanting leftovers,” Solas mumbles as he pulls Felicity into his lap, pressing kisses from the tips of her ears, down her neck and to her shoulder.

“Do people not eat leftovers in Thedas? What a waste!”

“Usually servants eat the leftovers.”

“Well, that’s dumb! A bunch of food is way better the second day!” Solas chuckles as she starts to list off dishes, Felicity continuing to rant as she tries on the various outfits she’d gotten.

There are several more casual outfits in the pile, loose tops with lovely embroidery, leggings that were so comfy Felicity never wanted to take them off. There were a few dresses of light gauzy material that made Felicity want to find a field of flowers to run through. She had more formal looking shirts in a variety of colors, with jackets and trousers to match. A few more formal dresses, though none as lovely as the one she’d worn last night. There’s a bundle of socks and smalls and breast bands all in many colors. Solas snorts out a laugh when she immediately hides them from his view.

“I have seen you naked, Felicity, what point is there in hiding your underclothes?” 

“It’s embarrassing!”

“If you say so.” He chuckles as he goes back to hanging up the clothes she’d already tried on. The last thing she tries on is a stack of knitted sweaters, the thick fabric soft under her fingers. Faster than Solas can blink, she has one pulled over her head, rushing across the room to have him feel the fabric. 

“I’m still going to steal yours, though.” Felicity giggles as she dashes back across the room, not even bothering to try on the several pairs of shoes and boots they’d brought up as well. Until she was told otherwise, she would wear her foot wraps. It takes some time to detangle her curls, Felicity eventually relying on magic to get her hair back into some semblance of order.

She puts on one of the comfy leggings again just in time as there is a knock at the door. The two servants from before come bustling into the room, two trays in hand. One has two plates of food along with a plate with a large piece of the fruity dessert. The other has a variety of beverages, water, milk, and some juice.

“You guys are the best! Thank you!” Felicity beams at them both as she plops into a chair and starts to inhale her food. “Did you guys try this last night? I swear, I’ve never eaten anything as good. Well, my mom used to make some pretty badass muffins, but still, this is divine.” As she rambles, the younger servant once again is smiling as the other looks confused by Felicity, as if she were a frustrating puzzle she just couldn’t solve. When they continue to stand there, Felicity slowly stops eating to look at them with questions in her eyes. “... Did you need something else?”

“You must dismiss us, my lady.” The smiling one quietly supplied.

“Oh, yeah, sorry, you guys are good to go. Did you eat already? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.”

“We will eat shortly. Good day, my lady, let us know if you need anything else.” They bow before walking from the room again. Once the door is shut, Felicity slumps over against the table with a groan.

“I didn’t know you have to dismiss servants before they can leave.”

“I think they knew that Felicity, do not worry over it.”

“They probably think I’m stupid.”

“They think no such things. The younger one seems to quite enjoy your open personality, and the other, though confused, does not hold any ill will in her eyes. You are too hard on yourself.”

Felicity shrugs, sitting back up to finish her meal. 

“Inquisitor?” Josie’s voice from the other side of the door has Felicity dashing across the room to hide on the other side of the bed.

“The Inquisitor isn’t here at the moment, please leave a message after the beep. Beeeeeep.”

“Inquisitor, I’ve brought the candidates for your assistant.” Felicity quietly curses as Solas snorts again, quickly taking another bite of his breakfast to hide it.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming.” She opens the door to see no one other than Josie standing there. “Don’t tell me that scared them all off?”

“I didn’t bring them, it would be inappropriate to bring them to meet you in your private quarters.”

“You lied?!” Felicity overdramatically gasps, scandalized at her Ambassadors lie, stumbling back a step and grasping her chest.

“Yes.” By her little smile, both Solas and Felicity can see that she isn’t the slightest bit sorry. “I have them waiting in my office, I came to get you and make sure you were ready.”

“Do I really need an assistant, though?”

“As you will be required to sign documents from me, Cullen, and Leliana, not to mention letters that are going out on top of having weekly meetings with the three of us, yes you will need an assistant. And this is, of course, not including the weekly meetings- or more often if needed- with all of us and Acacia with the Inner Circle and others of Skyhold. An assistant will help keep your schedule orderly, and ensure all documents are signed and sent in a timely manner. They will also be able to deter the more determined nobles who wish to have private meetings with you and make sure your time isn’t wasted on smaller issues that could easily go to someone else. Of course, you will be continuing to train both in weapons training and your magical studies, so it is best to have a schedule where no time is wasted.”

“Hey Solas, you want a promotion?”

“I am sorry, da’len, but I have enough work on my plate with the research on the Veil and Fade. Though I do think it wise for you to have an assistant. I do not want you running yourself into the ground again trying to do everything.” Felicity sighs but nods, motioning for Josephine to lead the way. 

“Are you going to be in the rotunda later?”

“I will. If you wish, we could have lunch as I show you around Skyhold.” Felicity turns to Josephine, begging for her permission with her puppy dog eyes.

“Once we have your assistant chosen and everything in order with them, I do not see the problem in you having lunch and a tour. Though there will be a meeting with Fiona later to discuss what will become of the rebel mages we brought in. I will have a runner inform you when it is time. Now, if that is all, we should be off.” Felicity pulls Solas into a quick kiss before following the Ambassador.

Adaar is waiting for them outside the door looking just as stoic as he had yesterday. 

“Good morning, Adaar. How was your night?”

“Good.”

“Great. No Llewellyn this morning?” Felicity asks as she glances around for her happy-go-lucky friend.

“He received a letter last night from his brother and sister in law. It seems they had decided to join him here, but they were caught up in a demon attack near the Storm Coast. He requested a few days off to go and get them.”

“Oh god, are they both alright?”

“His brother was alright, and I believe she was injured, but nothing life-threatening. He left late last night.” Felicity nods, already worrying about both of them. It was dangerous to travel alone these days with all the demons, darkspawn, Red Templars, and Venatori around.

“I’ll send him a message later. So it’s just you and me, Adaar. But I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

“Are you anticipating trouble?”

“I mean, no, but I can’t promise I’m not going to lose my shit if another stuck up asshole tries to be a dick. You’ll have to hold me back, but luckily, it shouldn’t be hard.” Adaar snort, the barest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, but that was a lot of emotion from him, so Felicity would take it as an absolute win. “Alright, Josie, let’s do this. But fair warning, I have no idea what to judge these people on and have no idea how to tell who would be a good assistant and who wouldn’t be.”

“I thought as much. That is why I have already made sure they would all be quite competent at their job should they be chosen. But as they will be working closely with you, I do not wish for any tension between you due to clashing personalities.”

“Oh, that’s smart. I’m so glad you’re here, Josie!” The rest of the long walk to her office is filled with random questions from Felicity regarding Skyhold and it’s repairs, what all there was, and what needed fixing. A lot was the first answer, the second answer was pretty much everything required fixing and cleaning and general sprucing up. 

“Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be. Are you ready, Adaar?” He nods, and with that, Josie opens the door, and they all file in. There, sitting in silence on the various chairs and couches the Ambassador had in her office, are seven women. Two of which, upon laying eyes on Adaar, can’t hide the disgust on their faces.

And just like that, Felicity only had five to choose from. 

“Hello, everyone.” She awkwardly waves with a little grin. “I’m in need of an assistant, or so I’ve been told,” She casts a teasing glance to Josephine, who only barely manages to keep from rolling her eyes. “So I’m here just to get to know you guys a little better. What is your favorite snack?” At her random question, they all remain silent, only one speaking up.

“Banana bread with salted butter.”

“Oh, that does sound good. I’m more of a cookie person myself. Favorite number and why?”

“Eleven because it’s fun to say.”

“Fair, fair.”

“What is your favorite number?” The others all look absolutely shocked when the young woman asks a question back at her, but Felicity’s smile only grows.

“Three, it was my mother’s lucky number. What kind of ale do you like?”

“I prefer whiskey. You strike me as more of a wine person.”

“That’s very true. I do enjoy the occasional fruity mixed drink, but they don’t make much of those here.”

“There’s a tavern in Denerim that specializes in fruity alcoholic drinks. You should try it if you ever visit.”

“Are you from Denerim?”

“No, I’m from the Free Marches, but I’ve traveled to Denerim several times on my parent’s behest.”

“What’s your name?”

“Claire Trevellyan.” Felicity had had her suspicions about the young woman when she said she was from the Free Marches. She looked very much like one of her human Inquisitors, just like Adaar looked like the Qunari Inquisitor she created. She had to wonder if there was a familiar-looking Cadesh wandering these halls.

“I think we’re going to get along swimmingly. Thank you all for coming, I appreciate all of you offering your services.” Josephine stands there stunned as Felicity dismisses the other, Claire standing up and offering Felicity a hand.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Inquisitor.”

“The pleasure is all mine, believe me.” Felicity laughs when she sees Josie watching her with wide eyes. “Something the matter, Josie?”

“That went far quicker and smoother than I thought it would. Though I must admit, your questions were quite odd.”

“If someone is going to be working with me a lot, they’ve gotta be a little weird, or else they are going to go insane at my antics.”

“That… actually makes sense. Well, I will finish drawing up the paperwork to make it official. Lady Trevellyan, we will be moving your quarters into the Inquisitors wing. As I recall, you enjoy the view of the mountains; there is one room with a small balcony if you wish to stay there?”

“That would be wonderful, Ambassador Montilyet. Inquisitor, I look forward to working with you.” Claire grins at Felicity, truly meaning every word. 

“I do too! Hey, since we got done with this so fast does that mean I can go help Solas-”

“No, you have training to do,” Dáithí says as he walks in. Cullen and the others wanted to make sure that even though she was Inquisitor and would have much more work to do, her training wouldn’t fall by the wayside. She could handle herself reasonably well, better when she could use her magic as it was intended to be used, but there was still room for improvement. 

“I guess there are worse things to be doing. Like paperwork!” Felicity giggles as she runs to Dáithí, giving him a quick hug before pulling back to wave goodbye to Josephine and Claire. “I’ll see you guys later! Come on, Adaar, I wanna show you something fun!”

“Where are you going, Felicity?”

“Outside? Where else do you train?”

“In the training yard.”

“Oh, does Skyhold have one of those? In the game, the only space they had was out in the courtyard.”

“It had soldiers training in the courtyard?”

“Yeah, it was pretty weird, to be honest. So where’s the training yard at? Is it big? Oh, can I shift?!” 

“You’ll see soon enough, and yes, you may shift. Though the Advisors thought it best not to get too crazy with it.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. Don’t wanna freak people out now that I’ve got them on my side.”

“Exactly.” Adaar was both looking forward to watching Felicity fight and worried as he knew precisely what Dáithí was capable of when facing mages. “Here we are.” After nearly twenty minutes of walking behind the keep where the sprawling village- practically a city!- of Skyhold lay. And right off the bat to the side was a large empty field, several barracks on the sides. 

“Wow! This’ll be really nice once we fix it up! And holy shit, there’s a whole city here! This is amazing! The Inquisition will be able to do so much more!” She was genuinely excited at the possibilities of what the Inquisition had room to grow into. A home for people, a safe haven, a hub of trade, and a bubble of peace from the craziness of the outside world. Her eyes catch on something off in the distance, on the outside edges right before the still impressive walls. “Are those farms? We can actually farm here?!”

“It is surprisingly warm down in the valley, and the soil seems to be quite fertile. As I heard it, Ambassador Montilyet wanted to get those up and running as quickly as possible to cut down significantly on the cost of food for the Inquisition as we continue to grow.”

“Yes, that’d be amazing! Wow, this is so cool!” Felicity practically vibrates with excitement as she continues to scan the still mostly empty sections of Skyhold’s city. They were going to do so much good here.

The sound of something whistling through the air catches her attention, and in a heartbeat, she has a Skyrim ward covering the side where the sound was coming from. Just in time too, as Dáithí’s staff is there colliding into it.

“Good, you must always be prepared.” When a whooshing sound fills the air, Felicity turns to see Adaar swinging his large battleaxe at her exposed side. Dáithí had quietly asked for his help as Felicity looked over the city, and for whatever reason, he had agreed. She freezes, and just as he is about to redirect the attack, she Blinks away, suddenly vanishing from the field.

“Oh, this is neat!” She can still see the waking world, but it seemed as if she was in the Fade, able to see the waves and swirls of magic along with the random spirits and wisps wandering around. It’s a little harder to move here, so it takes a moment for her to move, but when she pops back into the world, she stands behind Dáithí with a conjured wooden dagger at his back. “I didn’t know I could do that! I hadn’t tried Blink before-” She cuts out, once again vanishing and she sighs, having forgotten for a moment that this was a thing that would happen. How did she stop blinking if she didn’t roll dice to begin with?

“Felicity?” Dáithí calls, looking around, startling when she appears again near to Adaar this time. 

“Hey, I think I’m going to need Solas, I’m not sure how to stop Blinking-” And she’s gone again, Felicity groaning as she’s back in the Fade. 

Dáithí takes off running after sharing a look with Adaar. 

The Qunari would do his best to look after Felicity until Dáithí got back with Solas.

“I’m sorry Adaar, I didn’t know this would happen. Normally I would roll dice-” She pops in and out staying in generally the same area, only wandering a few feet away if anything. 

“-and then Fjord popped back into the fight and scared the shit out of Mollymauk which was hilarious-” 

“I am missing half of your words.”

“-not that there was anything wrong with Molly; he just wasn’t my favorite. Caduceus is much better, in my opinion-” Adaar sighs, the young woman either not hearing his words or not caring.

“Felicity, you-”

“-kinda sad that I won’t even hear the end of the campaign, but I like being here a lot more-”

“Please just stand still.”

“Oh, that’s weird, the magic is following someone. They’re getting closer. I wonder why it-” Felicity watches as the magic she recognized as the ancient magic Solas talked about dwelling within the very foundation and stones of Skyhold, pooled together and rose more prominently to the surface as someone moved. At least she assumed it was someone moving closer.

Solas runs with Dáithí to the training yard, not fully understanding how Felicity would just pop in and out of the world. Well and truly gone, not just invisible. 

“Solas? Good, you’re here! The magic in the ground is weird around you-” He sputters when one moment she is there and the next she is gone. “-to stop. Usually, you roll for if you leave or not, but I don’t even have dice, I can’t just-”

“Pala!” He can feel the little aftershocks from her spell, nearly falling over when he feels her slipping through the Veil as if it weren’t there. She was going to and from the Fade somehow, and that was not good. If people learned she could do this, there would be dire consequences. The last time someone walked into the Fade in their histories, they began the Blight. 

A spell charges in his hands, Solas feeling a little guilty because this would sting when he used it on Felicity, but they needed to stop this sooner rather than later. 

“Take a deep breath, Felicity.” He commands the moment she comes back, Felicity pausing to do as he says. Solas lunges forward, his magic leaping from his palms into her shoulders, and he grabs on. With a choked off cry, his magic disrupts her own, shredding the spell that had her going to and from the Fade so easily. Everyone remains silent as Felicity gasps for air, waiting to see if it truly worked. 

“That… was not pleasant.” Felicity looks pale, her arms wrapping around her stomach as it starts to twist around uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry, _vhen’an,_ but we had to stop you.”

“I know. I didn’t know how to stop myself, I was trying-”

“Felicity, I will explain further tonight, but promise me you will not do that spell again, not in the open like this.”

“Okay? I promise. Sorry guys, I really didn’t mean to cause trouble.” Solas nods, stepping closer, his hands raising to frame her face, his eyes carefully studying her.

“Are you alright?” He quietly asks, and she nods after a moment of hesitation. “Felicity.”

“I- I’m fine. It was cool and all, but I couldn’t stop, and that was scary. I don’t like my magic being scary. But I’m okay now. Once I get moving again, I’ll forget all about it, so it’s alright. Sorry to bother you, honey.”

“You are never a bother.” Solas presses a lingering kiss to her forehead, steadying himself with the spiced floral scent of her hair. “I’ll see you for lunch?”

“Yeah, sounds good. Don’t have too much fun without me. Oh, here, before you go, I wanna show you something I’ve been working on. I tried this the other day, and though I can’t make as many as Naruto, it’s still pretty fun. Shadow Clone Jutsu!” There are three puffs of smoke, and then there before them stands three more Felicity’s, absolutely identical to the original. “It’s hard to control all of us separately, but with practice, I think it could be useful.” They all say at once, but they are greeted with only silence from her audience.

The three men stand there, eyes wide and face’s pale as they look at the four Felicity’s standing there looking pleased with herself.

One Felicity was more than enough for this world, they didn’t know what would happen to Thedas if four Felicity’s wandered its roads.

With another puff of smoke, Felicity is back to just her normal one body, cackling at the stunned expressions before her. 

“Just think of the possibilities, Solas.” She giggles, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

For once, she catches him off guard, his face flaring bright red as does just that, picturing all the exact possibilities. A bad idea, because it only causes him to grow that much more flustered. Solas clears his throat and turns on his heel without another word, quickly walking away before she can suggest anything else. It was good the air here was brisk, he needed to cool down if he was going to get any work done today.

Felicity continues to giggle as she watches Solas leave, knowing full well he would retaliate for her teasing, but she just could find it in herself to care right now. When she glances up at the two remaining men, only to see them equally as flustered, she falls over laughing.

“You guys are too funny! Come on, Dáithí, I need to work out some anxious energy.”


	25. Chapter 25

_“Llewellyn, Josie said your brother and sister in law were caught in a fight. Are they all alright? Are_ **_you_ ** _alright? You can reply to this message.”_

_“Da’asha, you scared the shit out of me just now.”_

_“Sorry! I just wanted to make sure you all were okay. Do you need anything? You can reply to this message.”_

_“They sound like they are fine, Virdi is recovering well. Thelris, my younger brother, thinks I am lying about being the personal guard of the Inquisitor.”_

_“I can make a show of it when you guys get here if that helps. You can reply to this message.”_

_“I may have to take you up on that. I will have to say goodbye here, da’asha, there is a bear up ahead.”_

_“Be careful!”_

Felicity doesn’t feel any better after talking with him; in fact, she believes she is worrying more now. 

Bears were the worst!

“How is Llewellyn?”

“He’s about to face a bear, so probably not the greatest. He says his sister-in-law is okay, and his brother doesn’t believe that he’s a bodyguard for the Inquisitor.” That’s not surprising, Thelris never believes anything Panelan says without seeing it, having been tricked too many times in the past. It had been a long night trying to explain to Thelris and Virdi what had happened after the Veil was created, and harder still was explaining the history of the world and The People that passed them by while they slept. 

It would take a few more nights to fully explain the rest of everything. They hadn’t even gotten to Felicity and her unbelievable magic, her link to Mythal, and her being bound to him. 

“That’s good. Did Llewellyn say when he was coming back?”

“No, we didn’t get that far. Probably a couple of days? Well, no, probably more than that. I don’t want them rushing to get here; they need to be careful.”

They discuss the different kinds of bears Thedas had and which ones were the most dangerous as Solas leads Felicity around first the main keep of Skyhold. Then they traveled around the various sections of the city they had gotten cleared out already. They had stopped in the overgrown gardens to eat a quick picnic lunch, Solas quietly explaining what her spell earlier had done and the implications it would hold to those around them.

Felicity promised to never Blink again.

As they walk, various people will come up and say hello or thanks, or just compliment how lovely she looked last night. Solas watches as soon Felicity has all the people she talks to eating out of the palm of her hand. They are smitten with his little miracle worker and her genuine joy at meeting and talking to everyone. 

With practice, one day, she would be able to address crowds as easily and confidently as she does when it comes to individual people. 

She’s in the middle of explaining how to tie a messy bun to a young dwarven lady when suddenly she feels a small tug on her shirt. Felicity pauses, looking down before immediately melting. Looking up at her with big blue eyes is the most darling little elven girl she’s ever seen, her dark brown hair is pulled up with a little leather band. A handful of messily picked flowers are clutched in one hand, a stuffed owl in the other.

“Hello there, sweetheart, what’s your name?” Felicity crouches down before plopping down on the dirt road to talk with the little girl. 

“Nyla.”

“That’s such a lovely name. Does your owl have a name?”

“Roger.”

“A strong name.” The girl bashfully looks away, holding out the flowers to her, but the small girl’s eyes come snapping back to her when Felicity gasps. “These are beautiful! Did you pick them all by yourself?”

“I did!” All at once, the bashfulness is gone, the girl beaming at Felicity as she goes on a rambling tale of where she picked them and how hard it was to decide what colors to choose.

“I’ll have to find a vase so I can keep them in my room. Everyone will be so jealous when they see them.” Nyla’s chest puffs out in pride, the young girl finding her way into Felicity’s arms for a hug she is all too happy to return. “Can I give you a flower as well?” 

The nodding is almost so frantic; Felicity is worried the poor girl is going to hurt her neck. Felicity holds out her hand palm up between them, her magic glittering white as slowly a flower is hovering there. A brilliant red spider lily, one of Felicity’s favorite flowers back on Earth, has Nyla’s mouth falling open.

“You can take it. It won’t grow any bigger, but it shouldn’t wilt either.”

“I can really have it?”

“Yeah, I made it just for you.” With a reverence Felicity isn’t used to seeing in children, Nyla reaches out and grabs the stem of the flower, carefully pulling it close and cradling it to her chest.

“I’m going to go show my mom!”

“Okay, sweetheart, be careful on your way back!” Felicity calls out with a little laugh to the girl making a mad dash back towards the main keep. “That was so damn adorable.” She giggles as Solas helps her stand again, holding her flowers so Felicity can finish showing the other woman how to pull her hair into a messy bun. 

As they finish the tour, Felicity proudly holds her bouquet of wildflowers for all to see. She gets strange looks from a few of the more noble and wealthy looking people, but everyone else smiles for the most part. 

~~~~~

That night, with Dáithí, Solas, and Claire, Felicity works on coming up with a seal, family crest, and everything else she would need. Colors were actually pretty easy to decide on once she thought about it. Her magic was white, flickers of gold, the same with her dragon form and new scale tattoos. White and gold would stand out in Orlais, where everyone tried to one-up everyone else with colors and designs. And in Ferelden, family colors were largely rich and dark, more earthy tones, less flashy, so it would stand out there as well. 

As for a family crest, she was at more of a loss. Dáithí and Claire both drew theirs for her to look at, explaining there was no real set of designs to go by. So long as it was recognizable and not someone else’s, it was alright. Then they told it also generally had a motto on it, and Felicity was once again lost at sea. ‘Modest in temper, bold in deed’ was on the Trevellyan crest. Dáithí explained that his crest had runes that would be included in the creation of their families’ staffs, but that it was nothing translatable into Common. 

The harder she thought, the more frustrated she got. There was so much she loved, so much she felt like she could identify with, it was impossible to pick one or two things to be happy with. 

Finally, she closed her eyes as the others quietly talked about possibilities, holding her hands out in front of her and letting her magic fill the space. She didn’t create any spells, didn’t force it into any shape or form, simply let the magic hover. When Felicity felt there was enough, she focused on herself, on her family- both the new one here in Thedas and the one she had on Earth- and making a crest, letting the magic react however it wants. 

Silence falls as the bright white wisps of her magic condense into the image of a brilliant star, not unlike those on tiara Solas had made for her. Then, flickering into being in the background are little sparks of light. When Felicity opens her eyes, she sees what was created and nods. 

That should work. 

“What are the dots in the background?” Claire asks, quietly pointing to them, not daring to touch the magic lest it break. Felicity also wonders that, trying to think of what it could possibly be until she remembers the Astrariums. 

“Fenrir. The constellation Fenrir. It’s one of the ones you connect with the Astariums. The codex was interesting on that one; it talked about how this one was the one people would point to as proof that Tevinter just stole elven constellations and renamed them to fit their own myths and history. There isn’t any real importance that Tevinter places on wolves, but the elves did- do. They think the constellation was originally named for the Dread Wolf, for Fen’Harel...” Felicity trails off as she continues to stare. It was weird that she would get that constellation, but worse still was that feeling of forgetting jabbing the back of her mind. “I wonder why that one?”

“It’s a good design, though. Unique. Something like this?” Claire quickly draws the pattern before passing the sheet to Felicity. Her magic fades away as she releases the magic, picking up the sheet to study it. The main star itself had six long thin points, the smaller stars that made up the constellation in the background each had nine tiny points. 

It still wasn’t complete yet, though.

She takes the quill, carefully adding in two curving olive branches to create a rough circle around all the stars. 

“What are those?” Felicity looks up at Dáithí, taking a moment to process the question, her mind still stuck on the constellation. 

“Olive branches. A symbol of peace and victory on Earth, partly from Greek mythology and history and also kind of the Bible, I think.”

“It’s perfect! They can make this into your seal as well if you like. Though it would be a simplified version.”

“Really?! Oh thank god, I didn’t want to have to try and come up with something else. What do you think, Solas?” Felicity passes the sheet to him, and he nods and smiles, though Felicity can feel tension in his spirit. Something wasn’t right, but he clearly didn’t want to draw attention to it. Maybe she could ask him later.

“Alright, I will get these to Ambassador Montilyet in the morning, she will get everything else in place to make it official. Tomorrow I believe Lieutenant Rylen and the Commander wanted to talk to you about the troops in the Fallow Mire. Mother Giselle and Chancellor Roderick also wanted to discuss your role as Inquisitor and how the Chantry will be utilized here. And though she didn’t outright say she wanted a meeting, Lady Montilyet mentioned wanting to get your opinion on some possible repairs to Skyhold. She has an open schedule just after lunch, and then the rest of your day is open.”

“I thought you didn’t start until tomorrow, Claire.”

“There’s no time like the present.” She laughs as she stands, collecting all the paperwork she’d brought with her for Felicity to sign and heads for the door. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sleep well.” Claire just smiles and nods, quietly closing the door behind her. Dáithí stands to leave as well, Felicity quickly getting up to give him a hug.

“Thank you for your help.”

“You did this on your own, I merely watched. You need to have more faith in yourself, da’ean.”

“I know. I’ll work on it, I promise.” 

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“You should one hundred percent hold me to that because if you don’t, I’m gonna forget.”

“Sleep well, Felicity.”

“You too, Dáithí!”

Solas is still sitting at the table, eyes locked on the smooth wood when Felicity turns back to him. Clearly, something wasn’t right. She gently clears her throat, giving him a small smile when he looks up to her with an oddly blank expression. Solas immediately reaches for her hand when she holds it out to him, Felicity leads him over to the couch and pushes him down onto the cushions. Before he can question her, she is sitting in his lap facing him, straddling his hips. Without any prompting, his hands move to rest on her waist as hers rise to frame his face.

“Are you alright?” When she gets a broken smile in answer, her heart aches. “Can I help?”

“I do not even-” Solas sighs, pulling her closer so he could hide his face in the crook of her neck. “I am not sure if you can help or not, _vhen’an.”_

“You know that no matter what it is, I’m not going anywhere, right? You’re stuck with me.”

“If you began to hate me, I might actually die.”

“Hate you? Me? Solas, have you _any idea_ how much I absolutely love and adore you? You are-”

“I am the Dread Wolf; I am Fen’Harel!” He spits, waiting for her reaction, but nothing ever comes. She is altogether too still and silent. Tentatively he pulls away to look at her, Felicity’s mouth open though she doesn’t breathe, her eyes unfocused as she processes what he just said. Even her spirit is deathly still.

“That’s what it was… that’s what I couldn’t remember!” All at once, life returns to her, her hands landing on his shoulders as she gasps. “All this time, I knew I was forgetting something, that was it!” Still, Solas doesn’t say anything, continuing to wait for the hammer to fall, waiting for her anger and disgust and fear, but they never come. Instead, she smiles, laughing a little bit as her eyes focus on him again. “You said you were older, I thought maybe ten or twenty years, but something tells me it’s a lot more than that, right?”

“Many thousands of years.”

“Shit… you look good for such an old man, though.” Solas shakes his head at her teasing, unable to comprehend what was going on. Maybe this was the Fade, maybe none of this was real, maybe he’d finally lost his mind.

“I just told you I am Fen’Harel, the trickster villain in the elven histories, the one responsible for the final fall of Elvhenan, and you joke about my age?”

“I don’t really know what happened, how am I supposed to judge? I don’t know Dalish histories, and even if I did, they don’t exactly remember shit perfectly, so I’m going to take those with a grain of salt. I remember now, I had just gotten the Trespasser DLC, but I hadn’t gotten much of a chance to play it. Work was hectic, and life was… well, it was shit. I was just getting into it, looking up fanart and everything, when I saw the ending of the game. Little gif’s of you saying you were the Dread Wolf, that you were what caused the elves to lose themselves. People in the comments were losing their shit over it, but I just got so upset. I love trying to figure out the ending before I get there, having it spoiled kinda ruined it for me. I never got the chance to go back to it after I stopped, I was going through more classes for work. And then I was here. I knew there was something I was forgetting about you; it was always right on the tip of my tongue. Not going to lie, it’s kinda nice to finally remember.”

Solas just stares at her; he doesn’t even know where to start. Felicity smiles and nods again, her hands once again sliding up to frame his face. She would do all she could to help this along because until it was out in the air, they couldn’t work through it.

“You were the Dread Wolf, the ancient elven god who locked all the others away, yes? Like, really real?” 

Solas doesn’t say a word, lips pressed into a tight line as magic flares in his eyes. In a shimmer of green, he changes before her eyes. Gone is the leathers and trousers, the comfy attire of the man she knew as Solas. Instead, he wears gleaming golden armor, a rich pelt of some animal- _probably a wolf,_ she sighs in the back of her mind- over one shoulder. No longer is he bald, though the hair on the sides of his head still remains relatively short, the mohawk of hair on top almost slicked back came as a shock. It was almost auburn in color, and Felicity instantly loved it, forgetting for a moment why they were here, that he was a god. She wanted to run her fingers through it, mess it up, see if the short strands would curl around her fingers, see if it was as soft as it looked.

“I _am_ The Dread Wolf, Fen’Harel, the monster the Dalish warn their children about, the greatest adversary in their tales.” Felicity’s heart broke at the bitterness and sorrow in his words, the agony in his eyes. Like a broken dam, everything comes rushing out. “What would you ask of me? Do you wish to hear how I ruined The People, how I destroyed their world when I created the Veil? Do you wish to know why I locked away the other Evanuris? Do you wish to know how many lives I’ve taken, how many cities I’ve burned? Perhaps I should tell you tales so you can pity me. Tell you how I was little more than a child when they saw my potential, when they took me away from my home in the forests. How they threw me to the wolves in Arlathan so I could prove my strength, my worthiness of their attention. How Mythal alone accepted me, helped me grow until I rivaled the others in strength, and what I lacked in raw power, I made up for with my mind, my ingenuity, my heart. How should I tell you about the ways they used me as bait in the Great Wars, how I was taken captive and tortured- broken until I wasn’t anyone any longer? I could talk about the years it took me to recover, all the time I hid away trying to piece my consciousness back together. Should I tell you the tales of how I tried to free those enslaved by the Evanuris? Would it make a difference to you to know I was doing good, saving people trapped and beaten down by those in power? That I wasn’t the trickster villain the Dalish painted me as?” 

He continues on, pouring out his soul, agonizing over every detail he shared. Felicity zones out as the realization settles over her. Solas was so much more than just a hobo egg, he’s always been more, but now she knew why he would look so sad sometimes, why his eyes seemed so much older than they ought to. 

Felicity had called him a hobo egg, a man who was once thought to be a god. She kissed him, teased him, laughed with him, elbowed him, thrown cookies at him, fallen asleep on him, cried on him, relied on him, she has done just about everything with him, with a god!

She loved him, even now, even knowing who he really was, it didn’t change the fact that she needed him so desperately and completely. She loved a god.

And even though she knows he loves her too, she worries now. How could he love her? She was so plain, so simple, so not a god. There was not a noblewoman bone in her body; she couldn’t hold herself with poise and grace and play The Game. She was just herself; how could he possibly want someone like her when he was a being straight out of history books?

Before she can spiral any further, Felicity catches the tail end of his words. His breaths are coming short and fast, his eyes wide and unseeing, lost in his memories. Her heart breaks at the pain and shame in his voice as he admits to her what he had to do to stay alive in Arlathan, the sins he committed to try and protect those he cared for from the Evanuris. 

This was not the time to be worrying about herself; Solas needed her, needed to breathe. 

Felicity’s hands fall to his shoulders, disrupting the image of his fancy armor, and she pulls him forward, kissing him harder than was probably wise. But she ignored the bite of pain, focusing on him alone, on pulling him out of his own downward spiral.

Solas is cut off when Felicity kisses him, the pain not even registering in his brain as everything comes to a screeching halt. He can’t even manage to kiss her back, too stunned by the change to even begin to process what was happening. 

“I love you, Solas.” 

Four words, that’s all it took to break him, to break the Dread Wolf.

Tears that had been pooling in his eyes since this began, finally spillover. A broken sob escapes as he crushes her into his chest; another quickly follows it when she keeps repeating those four priceless, fathomless words. The fact that they were true, that her spirit sung with light and life and love when she thought of him was his undoing. 

They lose all sense of time as they sit on the couch, Felicity quietly confessing her love, her adoration, her faith in him. Solas cries and breaks and cries some more until he’s not sure he has anything left to give. Once the tears stop, once his spirit calms in the face of her gentle love, Felicity pulls back just enough to be able to see him. 

They could do this, work through this just like they did everything else, but if emotions ran hot, if things got away from them, there was no way this would end well. In his eyes, Felicity can see that he doesn’t even know where to begin, what to say, so she takes charge. 

“What’s your name?”

“Solas.” He answers in a heartbeat as that had never been a lie. “Solas came first, Fen’Harel came later. An insult I took as a badge of pride. The Dread Wolf inspired hope in my friends, and fear in my enemies… not unlike ‘Inquisitor,’ I suppose.” Solas’ gazes finally drops to the side, his voice quiet if still pained, as he explains. “You don’t yet know the burden of a title that all but replaces your name. I could use Solas again after waking up because no one remembered that the evil Fen’Harel used to be just a man, a boy eager to prove himself so he could survive in the harsh world that was Arlathan when ruled over by the Evanuris.”

“They took you away from home?”

“When I was still a young man, little more than a child. I showed promise, even then. I was skilled with magic as they’d rarely seen before, and if there was one thing the Evanuris were good at, it was seeing where potential power lay.”

“What about your parents?”

“I did not have parents, not like you and others here. Like the other Evanuris and the First Born, I was not so much as birthed as created from the very magic of the world. There was another with me there, though she was weaker than she ought to have been. One day, the Evanuris came into my forest, saw the power I wielded, far wilder than their own. When they saw how easily I changed forms, they went to get others to bring me to Arlathan. When I did not come willingly, they took her as collateral.”

“You tried to stop the Evanuris. Why? What did they do?”

“They were hurting people, enslaving them, killing them, for no reason at all. They wanted to show all their power, to have the people fear and revere them, but I think they just enjoyed the power that came with taking lives. I was always a troublemaker for them, God of Rebellion, they called me. Simply because I did not bow down to them, because I helped those who came to me, those fleeing the other Evanuris. I freed them; I broke the chains of all who would join me against the false gods. And when they went too far, I formed the Veil and banished them forever. I freed the elvhen people and, in so doing, destroyed their world.”

“Elves yet live? You didn’t destroy them.”

“But I did, Felicity. There were countless marvels, feats of such magic you couldn’t imagine, all tied to the Fade, dependent on its presence. All destroyed when I created the Veil. The legends of elven immortality? All true. It was not at the arrival of humans that caused them to begin aging. _It was me._ ” It was barely a whisper, Solas turning his face away from her as his eyes fell shut. “The Veil took everything from the elves, even themselves.” Felicity didn’t believe that in the slightest, but that was a discussion for another time; right now, they need to get this out in the air.

“You love the Fade, why would you create the Veil and hide it away in the first place? Why did you need to lock them away? Why not kill them?”

“The First Born are not killed so easily, and every alternative to the Veil was worse.” Solas groans. It hadn’t been a spur of the moment decision to create the Veil and lock away the Evnauris. He had looked long and hard for another way, a different solution to an impossible question, but he came up empty-handed. “Had I not created the Veil, had I not banished the Evanuris, they would have destroyed the entire world in their greed. Mythal was the best of them; she cared for her people, protected them. She was a voice a reason amidst the anger and greed. And in their lust for power, the other Evanuris killed her, a crime for which an eternity of torment was the only fitting punishment.”

“How are you still here?”

“I fell into Uthenera after creating the Veil, I had expended every ounce of my power and then some. It wreaked havoc on my body and spirit to create it; I needed time to recover. It took longer than I would have thought. But as the ages past, I eventually was able to enter the Fade and wander and watch. I saw as the elves fell, as they aged and died. I watched as everything was taken from them.”

“Everything was not taken. They lived Solas. Maybe it wasn’t the same as it was in Arlathan, but they lived. They wouldn’t have if the Evanuris weren’t stopped.” 

Solas just shakes his head, unwilling to accept such an answer. He had ruined them; there was no forgiveness or acceptance for him regarding what he’d done, he’d accepted that fact long ago. Had Wisdom not been with him in the Fade, he doubts he would have ever made it back; the guilt would have driven him mad and then some. 

“Alright, we can talk about that later. You woke up, clearly, because here you are. Was it the Breach that woke you?”

“No, I woke a little over a year before the Breach was created.” There was another pang of guilt she felt within him. It seemed they were far from over.

“Does this have anything to do with the elven artifact that Corypheus has?”

“It is a focus… my focus. I was too weak to unlock it after waking. My agents allowed his to find it; the plan was for him to unseal it and for the resulting explosion to have killed him. I had not expected him to have figured out effective immortality through the Blight.”

“But you knew he was trying to tear down the Veil?”

“…Yes.”

“Why would you give him the orb then? What is it you were trying to do?”

“Restore my people, The People.”

“But shit goes to hell in a handbasket when the Veil is torn down.”

“This world will not survive the raw chaos, no.” Solas looks off to the side again as that settles in for Felicity. For another long moment, she is silent, trying to process the sheer amount of information she has been given.

“…Well, we’re not doing that. First of all, because that’s not okay, but also because you told me yourself that the world where the Veil was torn down could never happen. You made me promise never to let that world come to pass, and I intend on keeping that promise.”

“I have to fix what I broke, The People-”

“I didn’t say we couldn’t bring the elves back. I’m just saying we aren’t going to destroy this world to get there. You can’t ever get good by doing bad. If we destroy this world to restore what was, there are going to be some survivors who are going to have their revenge, who are going to try and restore their world. It would be an endless cycle of death and destruction, and I am not going to let it happen. I’m not going to let them break you, let them win after all this.”

“Then, this has all been for nothing! All this chaos and destruction from the Breach has been needless!” Felicity can hear the pain in his voice. 

“It’s not for nothing. It wasn’t ideal, but it brought people together in ways they never have been before. And to be honest, Corypheus would have found another way to get what he wanted, to destroy this world just like he is now. Your focus just moved plans up. Besides, this all brought me here, to you. That can’t be all bad.” Felicity teases with a small smile, and Solas just sits there, flabbergasted once again by his miracle worker. 

“There is not another way, _vhen’an._ To restore the Fade and bring it back, this world would burn, and the Fade must return if The People are going to.”

“There is always another way, and we are going to find it. It’s not just you anymore, you’ve got my impossible magic now. I’m pretty sure we can do anything.”

“You cannot do this, Felicity, this will break you! Your light, your giving spirit will be-”

“There is no you and me now; we are in this together. That’s what marriage means!” Felicity reaches for his left hand and holds it up, pointing to his ring finger before pausing and staring blankly for a moment. “Right, we don’t have rings yet, I forgot, but the point still stands! And if you think, for one second, that this won’t break you as well, you are sadly mistaken. You are no monster, Solas, no deranged villain. You are a good man who has tried to help his people his whole life even when it costs you so much of yourself.”

“ _Fenedhis, vhen’an,_ why must you do this to me.” Solas groans, his arms tightening around her even as he fights to let go. Deep down, he knew this was always going to happen. The moment he knew he cared for her, for any of these people who were working so desperately to save their world, he _knew_ this was going to be difficult, if not downright impossible. Felicity, sensing his struggling spirit, snuggles against him, pressing light kisses along his neck and jaw, any part of him she could reach, toppling his resolve.

_“Ar lath’ ma vhen’an.”_ She whispers, again and again and again, each one pleading with him to reconsider, to see reason, to let her help.

“I knew you were going to be trouble, _vhen’an._ I knew you were going to change things.”

“It’s one of my talents, it seems.”

“It is.” With a heavy sigh, she feels his spirit settle all at once, everything peaceful once again.

“I knew you that you would eventually succumb. I’m just too adorable to refuse.” Felicity relaxes against him, knowing that he wouldn’t be breaking worlds any time soon.

“I haven’t said anything along those lines yet.”

“You didn’t have to. Your spirit did. I promise we can fix this Solas. Together.” With another shaky sigh, he hides his face in the crook of her neck, once again basking in the warmth of her spirit. 

Solas should have known better than to think he could ever fight against Felicity’s peace and acceptance and understanding.

~~~~~

“I’m keeping your constellation in my seal,” Felicity announces several hours later, both of them still cuddled on the couch, the only difference was the blanket she pulled over to cover them both.

“What spell did you use to create the image?”

“It wasn’t a spell. I just gathered my magic and thought about me and my family. Somewhere in my mind, I knew who you were; my spirit must have picked up on it as well. What was it like in Arlathan?”

“Beautiful. Spires of crystals and floating cities. Libraries so vast you could spend lifetimes lost in their halls. Magic was in everything, singing in the air.”

“You’ll have to show me some night in the Fade.”

“You are truly taking this better than I thought you would.”

“You were saving people, helping people. You didn’t know creating the Veil was going to mess stuff up; you didn’t do it on purpose. The Dalish are so dumb to paint you as a crazy villain.”

“It must have appeared that way. The battles were escalating with each day, destruction and chaos a constant state of being for the world as we fought. And then one day, the Fade was locked away, the Evansuris gone, and I fell into Uthenera. All of us were gone as the world began to crumble. It took many, many years before I was conscious enough in the Fade to watch memories of what was going on, and longer still before I could walk the Fade to find out more of the world that passed me by. I found Wisdom in those early days. She was a lot like my friend in the forest, quiet and wise. She helped keep me sane as I saw what was going on, what I had caused.”

“We need to get an amulet for her, one to keep her from being bound. Can I meet her too?”

“If you wish.”

“You wanna come with me to the kitchens to see if they have any snacks?” With a chuckle, Solas nods, standing up and carefully setting Felicity back on her own two feet. She’d just learned he was an ancient elven god, and now she wanted to go find snacks in the kitchen.

Felicity would never cease to amaze him.

Quietly they sneak through the dark halls all the way to the kitchens. Felicity freezes when she sees a woman still there working on prep even so late into the night, but before she can turn tail and run, they are spotted.

“Inquisitor?”

“Um, hello, I was- do you have any snacks? You don’t need to make anything, I’m just hungry and thought I’d see what I could scrounge together from the leftovers.”

“Yes? Um, I can make something if you would rather-”

“Oh, no, no, I don’t want to bother you or interrupt your work. Is it okay if I just poke around?” The stunned woman silently nods, and Felicity grins back, pulling Solas into the kitchens as she starts to look through the cupboards and barrels and boxes. She is careful to put everything back where it belonged and shut everything again, not wanting to waste any food, and when she finds some leftover sticky sweet rolls from lunch, she holds them up victoriously. 

“Jackpot! You want one too, Solas?”

“I am alright, but thank you, vhen’an.”

“Your loss. Thank you, miss! Have a good rest of the night!” Felicity is off running back towards her room as if she had stolen the sweet treat, Solas quietly nodding his thanks to the still frozen woman before following after his little trouble maker.

By the time he gets back to the room, Felicity has halfway through her second roll, the third held in her other hand. She smiles at him as he saunters in, her cheeks puffed out full of the sweet dessert, some of the icing on her lips, a few crumbs clinging on as well. 

Solas Fade Steps across the room as his heart clenches at the sight of her, and he pours every ounce of his love into that one hard kiss. Felicity breaks away laughing and choking on the food in her mouth, Solas licking his lips at the sugary taste of icing. 

“What in the world was that for?” She asks, still laughing as she finishes the last treat and starts licking the last of it from her fingertips.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, you silly old wolf.” Solas rolls his eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay as he feels the truth of her words in her spirit. “Come on; I’m exhausted.” Felicity bounces to her feet, taking Solas’ hand and leading him to the bed. They both crawl under the covers, Felicity sprawling over him as she always does as she passes out. 

There was so much now resting on her shoulders. Not only saving the world from Corypheus and putting it back together after all the chaos but now she would be helping him find a way to save The People and face the Evanuris because they couldn’t be locked away forever. Already the Veil was breaking down, even without Corypheus tearing holes in it.

Solas needed to be careful, though, because there would be no recovering if Felicity was taken from him in the coming battles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened guys, and let me tell you, it's been a flipping trip getting to this point. I have versions of this with angry Felicity, sad Felicity, carefree Felicity, but none of them felt right. It's a weird balance between goofy Felicity and serious Felicity and we're not gonna take shit Felicity... I just hoped it came off right.
> 
> Anywho, thanks for all your lovely comments and kudos and everything. You guys are the only thing keeping me going some days when life is just the worst. ^^ My brother put up some more art too! One of the crest, and an adorable little picture of Felicity, Panelan, and Adaar.
> 
>   
>  <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/nolongeragameart>  
> 


	26. Chapter 26

The next weeks are full of various meetings, introductions, and crash courses in politics, war, history, and the art of leading. Every day Felicity collapses onto the bed utterly spent, curling into Solas’ waiting arms and grumbling about the annoying things she now has to deal with. It would be halfway through an explanation like, ‘why people shouldn’t be assholes’ or ‘why the Inquisition needs more chocolate,’ that she would pass out. 

More and more people flocked to Skyhold every day, and with them came recruits and scouts, but more than that, civilians came. Blacksmiths and carpenters and cooks and tailors and merchants and cobblers and architects. Repairs on both Skyhold’s keep, and the city started moving at a startling pace, and when the mages began to help, it took off that much faster. Farms were being set up and tended to, livestock filling the barns, and people the houses. Shops of all kinds were opening, taverns, and inns popping up right alongside them. There were still some issues of racism and such that popped up, but for the most part, Felicity and the others were amazed to see most people working together in relative harmony. 

The wonders having a common enemy can do will never cease to amaze. 

Felicity is sure she wouldn’t be able to function if it weren’t for Claire, something she tells the wonderful woman at least three times a day. Dáithí and Adaar continue to train with her most every day, both men joining her in the evenings for her meals when she takes them in her quarters. Though Adaar always refuses to join them at the table and eats standing up by the door instead. 

Llewellyn was due back any day now with his brother and his wife, and Felicity was so damn excited, she brought it up to nearly every person she saw. Solas was starting to feel jealous that his old friend got such attention from his wife. 

He was in their shared rooms, making notes about recent changes in the Veil when he hears the door open. It was still too early for Felicity to have finished her training, but maybe she’d wheedled her way out of it early again. But his spirit still senses her a ways away, not in the room. Solas immediately tenses, magic condensing in his hands as he silently moves to look down over the room from where his and Felicity’s study was. 

All at once, the spells fizzle out as he sees who stands there, his face breaking into a bright smile as he vaults over the rails and rushes over. 

“That’s not even close to the reaction I got.” Panelan laughs as Solas pulls both Thelris and Virdi into quick hugs, looking them over for any lingering effects from the Uthenera. 

“This place looked better before. Don’t tell me you’re one of the Inquisitor’s guards as well?” Virdi glances around the room with critical eyes, taking in the plush furniture and ridiculous amount of pillows. This Inquisitor seemed to be more a noble figurehead than a leader if this room was anything to go by. Why Panelan would want to guard such a woman, she didn’t know, but it got them an in here, so she supposed it wasn’t all bad. 

“No, I-” Magic ripples through the room, Solas pausing, but before he gets the chance to turn around, Felicity is there throwing one of the many pillows at the back of his head.

“You stupid wolf hobo egg! You told Claire about my hiding spot! Do you know how many hours I had to sit with those pompous nobles-” This time it’s Felicity who’s cut off as there is suddenly a blade moving towards her neck and getting closer with terrifying speed. A burst of magic explodes from her as her arms raised to shield her, but the blade is moving too fast, it connects-

And then bounced off.

When she opens her eyes, she sees that her entire body was currently made out of crystal clear diamond. “Oh, this is new- but what the fuck?!” She drops her arms to look at her attacker, but Panelan was already there, pulling him back and spitting out curses. She guesses he must have just gotten back.

“Vhen’an! Are you alright?!” Solas lunges forward, looking over her arms where the blade had connected, shaking his head when he doesn’t even see a scratch on her strangely faceted arms. “You remembered a new spell?”

“No, I just… did it. Reminds me of an X-Man mutation. Not exactly stealthy, though. Now, who the fuck are you?” She leans around Solas as she changes back to normal, glaring at the man struggling against Panelan.

“She insulted him-”

“First of all, he’s no lord here, no king, savior, or anything. He’s just an apostate. Secondly, that was the Inquisitor you just attacked. And thirdly, that’s his _fucking wife_!” Panelan says in elvish, both Virdi and Thelris freezing before looking back over at the pair watching them.

“What?!”

“What did he say?” Felicity turns to look at Solas. They hadn’t gotten far in her lessons to learn elvish, so most of what was said flew right over her head. 

_“Fenedhis.”_ Souls groans, taking a slow breath before turning to Felicity. “Do you remember Panelan?”

“Of course, I do! No one’s seen him yet, but I have told Dennet that if they do find him, I-”

“That’s Panelan. Llewellyn is Panelan.”

Felicity freezes at his words, letting them sink in as her eyes dart back across the room where Panelan is scolding a still stunned Thelris. 

“Panelan’s a hart.”

“As you are a dragon.”

“You knew Panelan was an elf?”

“He is one of my oldest friends, and as I am the one who taught him how to take that particular shape, yes, I knew he was an elf.”

“He’s from Arlathan too?”

“Yes, well, more or less.”

“All three of them?”

“Yes.”

“Are they really his brother and sister in law?”

“Yes. Thelris is his younger brother, Virdi is Thelris’ wife. All three of them helped me create the Veil, and when I fell into Uthenera, so did they. Panelan and I woke first, we’ve been waiting for them to join us.”

“This whole time I’ve been worried about you, and you’ve been alive and well?!” Felicity marches across the room to where Panelan is harshly whispering to Thelris, grabbing ahold of his armor and pulling him away. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been that I got you killed because I remembered seeing you right before the avalanche tried to crush me?!”

“I’m sorry Felicity, but you didn’t know who Solas really was, I couldn’t -!”

“I’m so glad you aren’t dead!” Felicity cries, and she pulls him into a hug, relieved tears overflowing as he gently returns the embrace.

“Da’asha, you-”

“I’m sorry I tried to name you Ser Clatterdash! You should have just stomped on my foot to shut me up!”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Felicity, truly. It is I who should be begging for forgiveness at my brother jumping to conclusions and attacking.”

“I mean, I really would rather he not do that again, but I didn’t get hurt or anything. Ugh, I was so excited about meeting them, and now it’s all fucked up.” She pulls away, quickly drying her cheeks to turn to the two silent strangers staring at her. “My name is Felicity. Inquisitor Felicity Maria Pennel. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Her smile is brilliant despite the tear stains on her cheeks, and that just further confuses them.

Thelris is shorter than his brother, though they have the same brown hair. Where Panelan’s is fluffy and messy, though, Thelris’ is long and neatly pulled away from his face. His eyes are a lighter green, and much sharper than Panelan’s, but she could definitely see similarities in their features. 

Virdi is stunning, tan skin complemented nicely by her pale blue eyes and jet black hair. And though her hair is shorter than Panelan’s, the spikes almost seemed to be held by some kind of product, or maybe magic. She had a fierce aura around her, only made stronger when Felicity eyes the sharp longsword strapped to her back. 

“She’s the _Inquisitor?”_

“She’s his _wife?”_ They ask at the same time, though Thelris’ question about her really being Solas’ wife stung more than Virdi’s question about her ability to lead based on her looks alone. 

“Yes, and yes. Is that so hard to believe?” Felicity raises a brow as she crosses her arms, waiting for an answer.

“Yes! Women and men have thrown themselves at him for ages with no reaction to show for it! But now, in the space of a year, he’s bound!” Thelris looks to Solas, who just shrugs. None of those who’d ‘thrown’ themselves at him cared about him as a man; they had only wanted his title, his power, his magic. 

None of them were Felicity. 

“I knew it! I knew I couldn’t possibly be the only woman charmed by you!”

“They were not charmed by me, ‘ma fenorian, only the status and power being tied to me could bring them.”

“Oh... what assholes.”

Solas snorts, agreeing completely as he wraps an arm around her shoulders and tucks her into his side.

“Indeed. Thelris?” Everything about Solas suddenly shifted. Gone was the apostate hobo. There, holding her against him, was Fen’Harel, his magic swirling thick in the air around them. “I understand it was a mistake, and you are one of my oldest friends, which is why I have not already acted. But if you _ever_ attack her again, you will not live to regret it.” There is not a hint of joking in his tone, his burning eyes promising a painful death should he push the subject. 

“By the stars, of course, I’m not going to attack her again!” 

“It was just an accident, don’t threaten your friends over that.” Felicity elbows his side, Solas dropping his menacing expression and letting his magic dissipate. “Adaar should be here in a moment, he’s pretty quick, so you guys should lose the weapons and armor- if you want to come across as travelers from Rivain coming to see their brother, and not ancient elven warriors, that is. I assume you snuck them in?” Panelan nods, and Felicity rolls her shoulders, shaking out her hands, preparing to cast. “You’re stuff will be here for you when you get back.” 

Felicity smiles sweetly to them as white magic leaps from her hands to wrap around them. Panelan is left with his armor and daggers, but Thelris and Virdi are both changed into more appropriate traveler’s clothes with heavy cloaks and simple weapons. Then, once suitably dressed, Felicity transports them half a mile away from the main gate so they could walk in the front doors and not be suspected. 

“I like them!”

~~~~~

“Llewellyn! I missed you!” Felicity, after playfully teasing Adaar about getting slower, headed towards the main gates to welcome her friend as he officially returned to Skyhold. She goes running at him, nearly tackling him as he catches her.

“Da’asha, what trouble have you gotten into while I’ve been gone?”

“I found a quicker way to get to the kitchens from my quarters, so when I want a midnight snack, I don’t have to be gone as long.” She whispers loudly to him, grinning up at Adaar, who comes trailing behind her moments later.

“My apologies on leaving so soon after taking the position, Adaar.” The large Qunari shakes his head, eyes falling to the others Panelan traveled with. “Let me introduce my brother, Thelris, and his wife, Virdi. And this is Inquisitor Felicity Maria Pennel, my ward and partner in crime, as well as Adaar, the other poor soul tasked with looking after da’asha.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you both! I’m so glad you’re alright!” Felicity gives a quick hug to both before ushering them in the large gates. “Llewellyn, if you want to head in to find Josie, I’m sure she’ll be able to find a home for them to stay in. Are you planning on staying here for a while? I’m sure we would have some jobs open.”

“We had been discussing it. Llewellyn has nothing but good things to say about the Inquisition thus far.”

“Oh, I don’t believe that in the slightest, but thank you. Make sure you guys stop by for dinner tonight, I’ll have them bring up extra!” Felicity laughs, giving Panelan one final hug before pushing in the direction of the main keep. “Tell Josie I say hi!”

With Adaar acting the part of her shadow, Felicity heads towards Cullen’s office, Claire already waiting outside the door for her. The relief on the woman’s face is comical, but Felicity just rolls her eyes.

“I said I’d be here on time.”

“I was more concerned your training would run late. Don’t forget you have a fitting appointment after this, an appointment with Mother Giselle, and then a short meeting with Josephine to go over some recent letters we’ve gotten and some repairs to Skyhold.” Claire glances around, making sure no one else was listening before leaning closer. “Varric’s friend is here, the Champion of Kirkwall got here late last night, and she requested a meeting.”

“Oh shit, has Cassandra found out yet?”

“No, I think they are trying to keep it that way.”

“That’d be best. When should we meet? At night when we can sneak easier? Is that too late to be appropriate?”

“As this is a secret meeting, I believe you are well within your rights to go after dark, Inquisitor. Now, back to business.” Felicity nods, squaring her shoulders before knocking on the door.

“Come in.” Cullen’s voice is only slightly muffled by the thick wooden door, but it still sends a sliver of anxiety digging into her chest. 

She wished it wouldn’t.

~~~~~

“Good afternoon, Mother Giselle.” Both the Mother and the Chancellor are already sitting at one of the tables in the small garden Josephine had been sprucing up for such meetings as this. It wasn’t as grand as the main garden, but it was quiet and secluded, and Felicity loves the fresh- if brisk- air. “Chancellor Roderick.” She politely nods her head to both, taking a chair and motioning for Claire to do the same.

She had gotten many odd looks when she would have Claire join her at the table as evidently, assistants- not unlike servants- were supposed to be practically invisible. But as Claire almost single-handedly kept her on track and unconfused, Felicity wasn’t going to act like she was nothing at all. 

“Inquisitor. You are a busy woman these days.”

“I’m pretty sure that the moment I accepted the position, Josie already had about 30 meetings on the books for me. Claire said there was something regarding the Chantry that you wanted to discuss?”

“Yes. Before we get into it, I have a question for you. We did not have the chance to talk much in Haven,” Felicity holds in her snort and snarky comment, more like they didn’t care enough to talk to her. “Are you Andrastian, my dear?”

“No, I don’t think I am. I’d be willing to believe there is something there, something that’s been given the title of Maker, but I don’t think some angry old man is sitting on his throne watching the world fall to pieces.” Rodericks face turns an alarming shade of red when Felicity calls the Maker an angry old man. 

“You are aware of how the people see you, correct? You and the Herald both.”

“I am. They are welcome to believe what they wish. Just because I don’t doesn’t mean I’m going to go around trying to convince others to do the same. People need some hope these days; if this does it for them, then that’s great, more power to them.”

“But you personally don’t believe yourself to be chosen?” Not by the Maker, she quietly thinks to herself. Cole’s words that day about her being brought here by someone still ring in her mind when she gets lost in thought. And Solas had said that it had reminded him of Mythal, though how that could be he wasn’t sure. 

“No, not particularly.”

“The Herald has made very clear her opinions and views insofar as the Chantry is concerned; many are worried you will be taking such a stance as well.”

“Um, okay, Mother Giselle, I don’t- I don’t do this beat around the bush, walk on eggshells, play The Game stuff. If you have a concern or a question, you are going to need to come out and tell me because this is going to wear on my nerves and lord only knows what I’ll do then.”

“The Chantry, despite its faults, has-”

“It’s many very bad faults.” Felicity corrects before motioning for the woman to continue.

“Harshly spoken, but difficult to deny. Despite its faults, there is much good within the system, and they have provided much help through the years-”

“Provided help to who?”

“The people-”

“Which people?”

“I do not know what you are-”

“Elves? Dwarves? Qunari? Or… was it just the humans? What about mages? Ex-criminals? What about Templars who grew old? What about the ones who want to leave? What about those people who don’t believe in the Maker? Are they the ones the Chantry helped?”

“I… see…”

“No, I don’t think you do. The Chantry is good for people who believe, who want to believe, but it is not for everyone, and it discriminates horrendously against those who are not a saintly human non-mage. The Chantry is welcome to have a place in Skyhold, probably somewhere in the city, but that can be looked at later. There are many here who would find great comfort in that, and I’m completely down for it. But I will not tolerate any further discrimination against my people and those that come here looking for shelter and peace.”

“You truly think the worst of us, don’t you?” Mother Giselle’s eyes aren’t angry or accusatory, nothing like Chancellor Rodericks, and Felicity just shrugs.

“I’ve seen a lot of shit instigated by the Chantry. I was there when someone wanted to throw a tantrum about Acacia rather than help the wounded, and broken, and starving. I’ve seen good done too, but at this point, the bad far outweighs it. Is there something you want to say, Roderick?”

“No, Inquisitor, there isn’t.”

“Are you sure? Because you have my full permission to give your side of the story. I’ve said my piece; it would be dick-ish of me not to give you the same time to explain your side.”

“You preach about doing right by the people, but you will lie about who and what you are!” He spits, ignoring Mother Giselle’s warning glare. 

“How am I lying?”

“You do not even believe in the Maker, but will take on the title of his holy worker here in Thedas-”

“I’m not taking any title, nor am I telling the people that I am some divine being from their Maker. I am nothing but a mortal woman trying to do the best I can in the situation I find myself in. That being said, if the people wish to see me as some Maker sent messenger, I’m not going to fight them on it. I don’t have the time or patience to argue about it, and if it helps them sleep at night, then I don’t see why I should try and convince them otherwise.”

“So, as long as the lie benefits you, you are content to use it?”

_“I’m_ _not lying,_ _Roderick._ What someone chooses to believe or not believe has nothing to do with me, especially since I’m not even claiming anything.”

“You’re an elf!”

“What gave it away, the pointed ears?”

“You show no respect for the Maker. You shouldn’t have the ability to determine what the Chantry does here, does with its believers! A heathen knife ear _whore_ shouldn’t be in a place of such power-!” Roderick finally snaps, leaping to his feet and reaching across the table. His hands never get the chance to even brush against Felicity, Adaar there in a heartbeat, holding the man’s arms and keeping them from going any farther. “Release me, you brute!” Roderick tries to pull back, but he doesn’t get anywhere.

Felicity tips her head back to stare up at Adaar, sweetly smiling at him as she takes a calming breath. The anxiety and anger were making it hard to think for a moment.

“Thank you, Adaar.” He doesn’t say anything in response, just grunting, his steely eyes locked on the fuming, struggling chancellor.

“Get your oxman off me-!”

“Maybe you didn’t hear me when I said it at the feast, so let me reiterate.” Felicity stands, her magic flaring around her, filling the garden with a fierce white light. “You will not speak to **_any_ **of my people like that!” Like a crack of thunder, her words ring through the air, reaching far beyond the small garden they were in. “You, Roderick Asignon, are no longer welcome in Skyhold. You will collect your things and leave. If I find you are still within these walls come morning, you will be removed from the premises physically. And your Maker had better help you if you refuse to cooperate.”

Roderick’s face pales as he stares at Felicity, the woman making an intimidating figure with her glowing magic surrounding her, a golden fire burning in her eyes that seemed to see straight into his soul. 

Adaar passes him off to several guards who come running into the gardens, none of them questioning it as they drag the silent man away. Once they are gone from sight, Felicity turns her gaze to where Mother Giselle is still sitting, watching her with intense eyes.

“That is how your Chantry has treated me and _many_ others all these years, Mother Giselle, that is why I do not want the Chantry thinking it has any power in Skyhold or over me and my people. If that is what we can expect, then you would be better off telling them to stay away. Or this heathen knife ear whore is going to show them exactly how savage she can be.”

“I can promise not everyone in the Chantry holds his views-”

“But enough do. So, you’ve been warned. The Chantry is welcome here as a guest, but any behavior like what we just witnessed and I can promise you’ll be out on your ass faster than you can say Andraste’s sacred knickers.”

Felicity doesn’t wait for a reaction, turning on her heels with Claire and Adaar acting as her shadows as she marches from the small garden. She holds her head high as she makes her way to Josephine’s office, paying no mind to the stares and whispers directed at her as she walks. 

It is only once she is behind the closed doors that she falters, leaning against the wood as she draws a shuddering breath. Her golden eyes turn to the pair who had witnessed the entire exchange, opening her mouth to question them about how she handled it, but Adaar beats her to it.

“You did not ruin anything. That man has been a menace since the Conclave; it is high time someone put him in his place.”

“And after his words towards you, had you not acted, you would be viewed as weak. You could have demanded more, insofar as punishments go, but banishing him is a good start.” Claire smiles at Felicity, holding out a small flask to her. The smell of warm cider greets her when she unscrews the cap, Felicity taking a large swig before passing it back. She can feel Solas’ spirit pressing against hers, questioning the outburst he’d just felt. She does her best to communicate that it was alright now, hoping the message got across before searching the room for Josephine. 

The Ambassador sits calmly at her desk, waiting patiently for Felicity to gather her thoughts. All had heard her words demanding that she would not tolerate such remarks against her people, though few knew who the shouting was directed at. But Josephine knew the Inquisitor was due to meet with Mother Giselle and Chancellor Roderick, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out which of the two had pissed her off. 

“Good afternoon, Inquisitor.”

“Hey Josie. How’s your day going?”

“Better than yours, I think.”

“Fair. Did you hear?”

“Your shout? Yes. Can I assume Chancellor Roderick will be leaving Skyhold?”

“You may. And if he’s not gone by morning, I want him dragged out of here.” Felicity flops into a chair in front of the desk with a groan. “I was trying to be nice and polite and everything. Explain my problems with the Chantry, but make sure they knew that I wouldn’t ban them from holding services and whatnot. But that arrogant asshole just had to go running his mouth. If they really thought I was so terrible and savage, why would they say it to my face? Like, I could kill you with a thought, buddy, how do you think this is going to work in your favor?”

“He called you a savage?” Josephine pales, her quill pausing over the paper she was writing on.

“A heathen knife ear whore.” Adaar supplies from where he stands guard at the door.

“And he called Adaar an oxman while he was restraining him from attacking the Inquisitor.” The shock at the revelations from Adaar and Claire remains for but a moment on Josephine’s face before barely contained fury burns in her gray eyes. 

“I am so sorry, Inquisitor. I didn’t think they would be so blatantly disrespectful; I can promise you it won’t happen again. I will see that the Chancellor is gone tonight before he can spread more of his poison.”

“Why do people suck?” Felicity quietly asks as she slouches in the chair, but none in the room have answers for her. “Whatever, doesn’t matter. You had some stuff to talk about?”

Josie pulls a stack of letters out from her desk, all addressed to Felicity, though she and Leliana had already gone through them. Most are from different noble families in Ferelden and Orlais trying to kiss ass; some were genuine in their offers of support. And one was from the King and Queen of Ferelden themselves.

“It seems the spies are already within Denerim, and they have requested assistance in dealing with them. But they also requested a meeting with you specifically to go over reparations for what occurred in Redcliffe due to the mages we took in.”

“I’m supposed to deal with the spies?”

“No, I imagine we will have Leliana’s people deal with the spies; their request for you is more for the meetings. And it is likely that they wish to formally meet the woman who will be leading the organization that is piecing together the world again. If we are to gain any real standing in Ferelden and Orlais, we are going to need those in power on our side, this will be an excellent chance to start building these bridges.”

“Ali is gonna hate this formal stuff.”

“Ali… Do you mean King Alistair?” 

“Yeah. He was one of my favorites from the first game. Reluctantly he took the throne, but I think he’s doing good work with Eliora. They make a cute couple. When do we need to head over there?”

“A week or two is when they requested, but they understand given recent events that we may need more time to get our feet under us again.”

“I guess we’ll see how things go in the next few days. Who all is going to be joining me?”

“Likely Acacia, at least for part of the visit. Cullen and I were thinking that she could make her greeting, maybe stay for a night or two, but then head out with the others to start closing rifts and the like in Ferelden.”

“Makes sense. Can Solas stay with me, though?”

“Lady Felicity, I think you are forgetting who exactly is in charge of the Inquisition.” Josie says with a little laugh, Felicity joining in a heartbeat later.

“I know I’m Inquisitor and all, but I’ve no idea how to actually run things. It makes more sense to me just to ask.”

“If you wish Solas to be there with you, then with you he shall be. Though he will likely need his own quarters.”

“I guess that’s fair.” With a long sigh, Felicity sits up straight, returning to her serious Inquisitor mode. “Alright, Josie, what about these repairs to Skyhold you wanted to talk about?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna take a second and say just how truly grateful I am to all of you reading and commenting and enjoying my story as much as I do. I'm so fucking burnt out from covid and being essential and working my ass off with no end in sight. It seems like the only serotonin I get these days is from writing (even the stressful bits, lol) and seeing people enjoy what I put up.
> 
> It means the world to me, and I just wanted to say thank you! :D


	27. Chapter 27

“Solas, are you busy?” He looks up from his desk, books and scrolls and papers strewn everywhere, to see Felicity poking her head around the door with a timid expression. “If you are, I can go! I don’t wanna bother you while you’re working.”

“Vhen’an, you are never a bother. What is it you need?”

“I just… I need to get out for a second. I wanted to run or fly or- or anything, but I don’t know the area around Skyhold as well as I should yet.”

“I must finish this report for Fiona, but after that, I can join you.”

“Oh thank god. Okay, yeah, that’s fine. I’ll just wait here.” Felicity hurries across the rotunda to the couch he had set up off to the side, curling up in a little ball around one of the pillows. The quiet sound of pages flipping and quills scratching on parchment lulls Felicity to sleep in a few minutes, Solas glancing over at her with a fond smile. She could sleep anywhere so long as there were a few quiet moments for her to drift off in. And she was a surprisingly sound sleeper, his vhen’an, sleeping through a great deal of noise and disruptions on more than one occasion. 

Solas turns back to his books, writing down and explaining what he could about spells to measure the strength of the Veil without giving too much away. They had several artifacts already activated to help with stabilizing the Veil. While they most certainly helped keep tears from forming, it also gave Solas more control over the Veil with each one that was activated. He and the others had originally used the artifacts to help create the Veil, accessing magic they had stored away to help make the Veil more powerful than it would have been had they simply relied on their own power alone. 

It was helpful that they had the mages with them because they could now go out in the world and activate more and more without him having to visit each and everyone he could find. They would also be able to give him more reports on what they found regarding the Veil than his own agents alone could. 

Solas’ eyes flash back to where Felicity sleeps. She had taken his identity surprisingly well, though they hadn’t had a chance to discuss much more beyond the fact that he was the Dread Wolf. She had done her best to try and comfort him, to ease his guilt... one thing she had said to him late that night standing out in particular. 

The Evanuris were destroying the world already, killing elves by the tens of thousands each battle, and it was only getting worse. Creating the Veil took a great deal from The People, but elves yet lived in the long run, however changed that life may be. Perhaps making the Veil saved people who would have otherwise been killed in the needless slaughter the Evanuris rained down upon Thedas. 

It was a nice thought, one he had trouble accepting. He had watched from the Fade as The People fell further and further from what they had been. 

Then again, destroying the Veil, freeing the Evanuris would only lead to much more bloodshed. Solas knew they wouldn’t- couldn’t- have changed in all the time that had passed. They were greedy and vain and cruel; it was in their very nature for whatever reason. Why so many of the First Born of his people were like this, he wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t help but wish it wasn’t so.

They would eventually have to fight the Evanuris, the Veil was coming down regardless of what Solas did, the Breach only speeding up that process. They would soon walk from their prison, and Felicity would need to know everything before that. He could show her all the memories, all the history of Arlathan and Elvhenan, but he honestly wasn’t sure he would be able to hold himself together if they had to relive the Great Wars.

He supposed they would find out soon enough.

An hour passes before he finishes the reports and quietly sits on the couch. Solas pulls Felicity into his arms, slowly waking her up, waiting patiently as her eyes begin to flutter. Once they open, Solas leans down, sharing a slow, sweet kiss. 

“All done?”

“Yes. Are you ready to run, da’len?”

“Yes! Where are we going to go?”

“You will see. Come.” Everyone is getting ready for the evening meal as they quickly walk through Skyhold, Solas pulling her off to the side and down a secret passage she hadn’t known existed.

“There are secret tunnels?!”

“Of course.”

“Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel! Through the mountain, secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel!” Felicity sings through her excited laughter, Solas rolling his eyes, his magic seeing that the sound didn’t travel outside of the stone passageway.

“It will not remain a secret if you sing so loudly, Felicity.”

“I can’t help it, it’s a secret tunnel! Through an actual mountain! I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since I saw that Avatar episode. Are we going to be wolves again?”

“We can be whatever you wish.”

“Did you actually have a Dread Wolf form?”

“...yes, I did.”

“Can I see it? You can say no.”

“Are you sure you wish to see it, Felicity?”

“Yes? I mean, it’s not going to turn me into stone if I see it, is it?”

“No, it will not. Once we are away from Skyhold, I will show you.”

“Solas, I was serious when I said you could say no. If you don’t feel comfortable, I don’t want you doing it.”

“You are going to see it eventually, Felicity, it may as well be now.” Felicity takes hold of one of his hands, pulling him to a stop before stepping close to see him better in the poorly tunnel.

“What do you mean?”

“If we are going to do this, if we are going to save The People and this world, you are going to need to know how I created the Veil, how I locked the Evansuris away. And you deserve to know the histories, the world I am trying to save. I will show you everything in time, and you will see the Dread Wolf in some of those memories. At least this way, you will be prepared.”

“It’s going to be okay, Solas, I promise.” Her spirit warms within him, leaching away from the tension and guilt that had started to weigh him down. His smile is small and broken, his finger reaching up to trace over her earnest features.

“I should know better than to doubt and question you, but it seems I cannot help but worry, vhen’an.”

“I’m sure you’ll learn one of these days, but I’m always right, even when I’m not.” He snorts out a little laugh, kissing her forehead before starting to lead the way once again. 

It takes nearly twenty minutes of wandering the tunnels before they stand outside of Skyhold's walls in the snow, looking over the mountains illuminated by the light of the moons. Both shift in a heartbeat, taking off like a bullet from a gun as Solas leads the way to his little secret cave in the mountains. 

At one point, his forests had filled the valleys here, dense and dark and wild. Perfect. They had long since faded from the world, a weak facsimile of what they had been now growing in its place. 

But the cave his friend had made all those years ago still remained untouched, and it was easily one of his favorite places in Thedas.

It was the first place he went running to after waking up.

Felicity happily follows his every move, loving the feeling of freedom she got from this. The only thing more freeing was flying, but she didn’t want to do that by herself. She’d have to ask Solas if he could change into a bird or something so he could fly with her. 

It isn’t long before they are out of the forests and back to passages and tunnels winding through two of the mountains. And though she misses the tall pine trees and glittering slow, Felicity can feel the excitement building up in Solas as they get closer to wherever he was leading them. 

Solas finally comes to a stop outside the almost completely hidden entrance to a cave, vines and roots nearly the same color as the stone around it keeping the faint glow mostly smothered. Felicity shifts back to normal when Solas does, her heart aching as the sad smile on his face.

“What is this place?”

“My friend, the other First Born I was with in the forest, she created this place. It was her haven, her sanctuary.”

“What was her name?”

“Vunora.” The sorrow that name brings up within Solas takes Felicity’s breath away. “Her name was Vunora. She was the only other person in my forest for a long time. Come, there is more here than a hidden entrance to a cave.” Solas’ quiet voice beacons her forward, Felicity taking a moment to hug him before motioning for him to lead the way. She shivers as she steps into the cave, the ancient magic filling the space potent even after all the years it had been forgotten. 

The temperature immediately catches her attention, the air pleasantly cool, but not cold. Like a spring morning, and it smelled of fresh flowers and sunlight despite having not seen the sun in ages. After the small tunnel leading in, it grows into a giant domed cave. Magical lights float in the air, slowly moving around and shifting, and they were partly responsible for the glow Felicity had seen emanating from the cave. The other thing responsible was the small pond of still water that has a kaleidoscope of colors swirling within it. Trees and bushes and grass and flowers surround the pond, thriving in this little cavern despite the lack of sunlight.

Slowly Solas and Felicity make their way closer, her mouth falling open when- as they pass the various plants- they all start to shimmer and glow, magic singing from them filling the air. Once they stand at the edge of the lake, Felicity’s breath is once again stolen. The bottom of the pond is made of smooth small stones, like those she would find on river banks. But more than that, laying on the bottom, nestled into the rocks, was a statue far too lifelike to be merely carved from stone. A young elven woman lays there, looking to be peacefully sleeping, her hands resting on her abdomen, a single foreign-looking flower held there. Her features are so realistic, her hair and dress so detailed… there was no way this was just a statue. 

“Is that your friend?” Felicity whispers, not wanting to break to the peace of this place. 

“It is. Vunora was dying, she had been since the moment she was created. Her body was weaker than the rest of the First Born. They- the Evanuris- took me, trying to get me to join them. When they were trying to ‘stop’ the Great Wars from happening, they wanted me to act as an ambassador of sorts between them and the Dun’himelan- The Forgotten the Dalish call them now. I refused; I wanted no part in their chaos. They did not appreciate or accept my refusal, and they went to find her, using her as collateral. She was too weak to fight against them, and so I did as they wanted. Then… everything changed after that. The Evanuris started the war regardless, having never truly wanted peace, and by the time I was freed, Vunora was on her deathbed. With her last bit of magic, she created herself a body that would never fade, never decay, and her spirit returned to the Fade. I laid her to rest here in her sanctuary, her magic lingering on despite her passing.”

“This place is beautiful.”

“Yes. She had quite the imagination when it came to creating plants and wildlife. She would have loved you, your strange magic and stranger spells.”

“I wish I could have met her.”

“You might still, at least a part of her.” Though Felicity looked up at him with questions in her eyes, he didn’t say anything more on the subject, looking back into the pond and smiling wistfully. “When I first woke up, I came here to find some peace, to see if there was at least one thing remaining from my home.”

“May I?” He doesn’t question her intention, giving her a nod, unsurprised when moments later, her magic sweeps out from her. It doesn’t push away the magic already filling the cavern. Instead, it gently mixes with it, honoring it, before seeping into the stone walls around it. Runes appear on the walls, circling the entire cavern and the ceiling, covering the floor, before vanishing in a flash of magic.

“What spell was that?”

“I’m not entirely certain, but now, no matter what happens outside, this place will remain the same, protected. The mountains could crumble, the skies fall, the oceans rise, the forests burn, but still, this place will remain untouched. Forever.”

“Thank you.” Solas chokes on the words, pulling Felicity into his arms as peace once again settles in his chest. They carefully sit on the bank of the pond, watching the magic and colors dance across the still surface. “Do you still wish to see the Dread Wolf?”

“If you are okay showing me, then yes.” With one last glance at the woman lying in the water, Solas pulls Felicity up and out of the cavern. They would need a little more space if he was going to change for her. 

It doesn’t take long to find a clearing large enough for them, Solas pulling away from Felicity, who patiently waits, trying to keep the excitement from her face. She was known for her dragon form, she wanted to know what form Solas was known for. 

He casts her one more questioning glance to which she nods before he does the same, taking a deep breath and changes. Gone is Solas the hobo egg, in its place standing the single most badass thing Felicity has ever laid her eyes on. 

He is close to the size of a high dragon. His fur was unnaturally black, seeming to suck light into it, and from his fur are trailing wisps of black misty magic. Six glowing red eyes peer at her from his large wolfy face, carefully gauging her reaction. When he moves, some sort of afterimage lingers for a heartbeat, which would undoubtedly freak out someone who wasn’t expecting him. 

“That’s so cool!” Felicity says, bouncing in excitement as she runs closer. His magic, mostly invisible, hung in the air around him, creating a heavy atmosphere the closer she got. But Felicity didn’t mind at all, reaching her arms up for him to move his head down. Solas snorts at her grabby hand's motions, unable to keep the image of a toddler reaching out and making demands from his mind. “Solas!” She whines, and he rolls his eyes, carefully laying down in the snow, resting his head on the ground, allowing her to get closer. 

Normally, his magic would slice into anyone trying to touch him in this form, but he reigns that in to keep from hurting the love of his life. Felicity babbles as she pets him, her whole arms sinking into his long fur. He can’t believe it when she throws herself onto his muscle, giggling as her arms move back and forth in the fur.

All laughter is abruptly cut off when he lifts his head, raising her high into the air as he stands at his full height. 

“Solas! If you drop me, I’m going to-” Wisps of the shadowy magic perpetually rising from him wrap around her, picking her up and moving her towards the back of his head. Felicity barely has time to grab onto two fistfuls of fur before he is off and running. Her shrill cry quickly shifts to excited laughter as he dashes around the large clearing. “Hey, put me down, I wanna try something.” The same wisps that had grabbed her to pull her back again wrap around her, seeing her safely on the ground in mere moments.

Solas watches curiously as she closes her eyes, focusing on whatever it was that she was trying to do. Slowly her magic starts to wrap around her, glowing white bands of power surrounding her until she is completely hidden from his gaze. Then, with a burst of magic, she shifts. 

The breath is knocked from his chest as she sees what form she had taken this time. There, standing in the snow before him, is a snow-white wolf, glowing faintly in the night. She was a little smaller than he was, though still impossibly large for a wolf in Thedas. Instead of wispy darkness trailing from her, a white gold shimmering mist surrounds her. And when she turns her face to him, he can’t help but snort in disbelief. Six golden eyes stare back at him, her pupils keeping their serpentine shape despite her new form.

The wolf equivalent of laughter barks from her chest at his stunned reaction, Felicity jumping around like an excited pup again before leaping at him and tackling him into the snow. 

Leave it to Felicity to see the Dread Wolf as some giant puppy.

~~~~~

After shifting back and a quick snowball fight, Felicity and Solas make their way back to Skyhold. It is well past midnight by the time they are within the walls, both of them heading straight for bed, making only one stop by Panelan’s and Adaar’s rooms to let them know she made it back okay. 

Panelan had been more than willing to let Solas do the guarding for one night, knowing nothing would befall Felicity in his presence. Adaar had been harder to convince, but eventually, Felicity wore him down, agreeing to send him a message the moment something happened, and alert him when they returned. 

As Felicity pulls Solas into bed, Adaar takes up his post outside the door to her room, he and Panelan rotating who would follow her during the day and who would stand post at night. This week he was down for nights, which Adaar didn’t mind. It was certainly more straightforward, and Felicity couldn’t drag him into trouble this way. 

Slowly but surely, Skyhold had been growing under Felicity’s care, more people flocking to the Inquisition every day. Adaar was proud to be here, of his position, of his work even if he wasn’t fighting demons and bandits every day. It was more than enough to help with Felicity’s training, along with the training of recruits when Cullen would request his help. Many were not used to fighting against Qunari, or anyone near as large as he was. If this training helped them falter less in the fields and saved a few lives, he didn’t mind appearing the massive brute in their eyes. 

Thelris and Virdi find places in the Inquisition as well. Virdi takes up working with Harrit and the other blacksmiths, impressing them all with her talents even if she did complain to her husband about their primitive ways when she would finish for the day. Thelris worked with the archivists, organizing and documenting and growing the Inquisitions libraries. Occasionally he would help Fiona by teaching some of the younger mages how to read and write when work would get slow. He didn’t mind it any, enjoying the shenanigans the young children would get up to even if he didn’t show it on his face. 

It seems to be nothing but a blink of an eye before Felicity is standing at the gates of Skyhold, ready to head to Denerim. Several carts are loaded with supplies and what Josphine had insisted Felicity would need when it came to meeting royalty. Claire had assured her on multiple occasions that she would look after the young woman and ensure she didn’t end up eating her own foot. Acacia, Bull, Vivienne, and Sera all sit on mounts, their own packs full for a month or more of traveling as they try to clean up Ferelden and close some rifts. Cole, Dorian, Varric, and Cassandra will remain with Felicity and Solas in Denerim for however long they need to be there.

Claire will, of course, be following Felicity around like a shadow, making sure she knows what to expect from the various nobles that are sure to be in Denerim just to meet her. Adaar and Panelan decked out in their new armor, sit on the carriage Josephine said was now Felicity’s. She had tried to tell Josie she didn’t need an entire carriage, that she could just ride a mount or with Solas, but that was quickly shot down. 

Adaar sat up front with the driver, Panelan seated on the back end of the carriage, keeping an eye out for anything that might try to attack from behind. Thought they would first have to get through the Herald and gang, not to mention the various soldiers and scouts that were tagging along for the trip. 

“Alright, we all set?” Felicity asks no one in particular as she looks over everyone gathered to wish them well. 

“We are Inquisitor. Safe travels.” Josephine says with a formal bow. Many in the crowd following suit, others simply smiling and waving. 

“Thanks, good luck here. Let me know if you need anything.” Felicity waves to everyone behind the Ambassador, smiling as she watches the crowds, made up of all races and classes, gathering and peacefully interacting. As it should be. She’s about to get into the carriage when she sees a familiar stern face approaching. She immediately breaks away from the others, running at Dáithí and jumping into his arms. 

“You thought you could get away without saying goodbye?”

“No, Cullen said you got back late last night from a mission, I didn’t want to bother you-” He cuts her off with a gentle squeeze. 

“What have I said, Felicity?” She just rolls her eyes with a sigh.

“That I’m not a bother. But still, I don’t wanna wake you up if you just fell asleep. You guys were gone for five days on that mission into darkspawn caves; everyone was exhausted.”

“I don’t care if I’m dead on my feet.”

“Alright, I promise, from now on, I won’t go anywhere without saying goodbye first. Okay?”

“You had better keep that promise, da’ean.” She leans back to grin up at him.

“I will. Now,” Felicity clears her throat, taking a step back. “I’m off to Ferelden, I’ll see you in a week or two. Maybe sooner if we’re lucky!” 

“Be careful.”

“I’m always careful! It’s my middle name, right between troublemaker and snack-thief.”

“Sneak thief?”

“No, _snack_ thief. Thieverer of delicious treats, especially if they are on a certain hobo eggs plate.”

“I see. I wasn’t aware you had so many name changes.”

“Llewellyn keeps giving them to me, and they’re apt, so I might as well keep them.” With another quick hug and a little laugh, Felicity pulls away and hops into the carriage, Solas following after her, both settling in as the carriage lurches forward. 

“Vhen’an?”

“Hmm?” 

“Are you alright? You seem a little distracted.”

“Nah, I’m fine. I just feel… weird. I don’t really know how to describe it. Kinda like how I felt before Redcliffe, which is not at all awesome, but I didn’t have any weird dreams this time. I asked Cole about it, and I love him to death, but sometimes he just gives you more questions in place of answers.” Felicity shrugs as she leans into him, her eyes falling shut. Everything would work itself out, and so long as she had Solas here, she felt she could face Corypheus himself and come out the winner.

Felicity sleeps for the first leg of the journey, Solas taking the time to catch up on some reading. She wakes barely long enough for them to set up camp before she is in her tent and passes out in the bedroll. How she is so tired after sleeping the whole day, Solas doesn’t know, but he supposed it was for the best she rest now. It was anyone’s guess how these next few days in Denerim would go.

Bull and Varric have a game of wicked grace going once the evening meal in the camp is finished, some of the soldiers cooking up two of the rams they had caught. Panelan is quick to join in the game, easily talking with all the others, teasing Claire as she joins in with only a few coins in hand. Of course, she had more to her name, but she had bet Varric she could make twenty times that amount by the end of the night. This was a bet she wasn’t going to lose, no matter what the dwarf said.

Adaar sits near the entrance of Felicity’s tent, an empty plate on the ground next to him, his ever-vigilant eyes on the surrounding woods.

“You are not going to join in?” Solas asks as he sits near the man after poking his head into the tent to make sure Felicity was still asleep.

“No.”

“In Denerim, I will not be able to room with her, not without setting all the tongues in the keep wagging. I would appreciate it if you were as vigilant in your watch of her as you usually are. I do not anticipate much trouble, but I would rather not risk it.”

“She will not come to harm under my watch.” Solas nods, looking over the growing game of wicked grace. In her game, Felicity had told him there was a cutscene with those from the Inner Circle who all play wicked grace with the Inquisitor, the game ending in Cullen’s ultimate demise, the poor man having to run back with not a stitch of clothing on his back. Solas hadn’t been in that cutscene, not that either of them were terribly surprised. 

It’s nearly two hours later when the game starts getting loud that Felicity comes back to consciousness, her stomach rumbling as she wakes. 

“Who’s winnin’?” She asks as she sticks her head out, unsurprised to see Adaar there with Solas.

“I believe Claire is the only one winning anything, vhen’an. Are you hungry?”

“You know me so well.”

“That, and you have a loud stomach.” Felicity joins him in laughing, crawling across the ground and into his lap, Solas grabbing the plate of food he’d saved for her. A spark of magic has it heated back up, and she kisses his cheek before digging in. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah. I had weird dreams again, but these were more like how I think an acid trip would feel, so I think we’re fine.”

“Acid trip?”

“Acid is a drug back on earth, it makes you hallucinate and stuff. But I haven’t ever tried it, so I’ve no idea what it is really like.” 

“They would make themselves hallucinate? For what reason?” Adaar, confused at the thought of someone willingly taking a drug that would make them lose their mind for a while. 

“Fun? I don’t know, people are weird. There’s nothing like that here?”

“No, not like that.”

“Well, that’s good, I can’t imagine it’s very healthy. Are you coming to bed soon?”

“Yes.” Solas chuckles at the little head shake Adaar does. How she could be thinking about going back to bed, he didn’t know. Felicity would sleep enough for all of them, at this rate. “Good night, Adaar.”

“Don’t stay up all night!” Felicity calls, and she dives back into the tent, giggling as Solas chides her rambunctious behavior. One of these days, she would go too far and tear a hole through the side of the tent.

~~~~~

“How acceptable are pets?”

“...In what sense? Acceptable where?”

“Just in general. If I had a pet cat, or dog, or bird or… say, a pet pseudodragon, how bad would it be if I had them follow me around and stuff?”

“A pseudodragon?” 

“Like Mr. Squiggles!” Felicity’s eyes glow as she casts, a small dragon appearing in her hands. As the bright glow around it fades, Solas watches as the tiny creature uncurls itself, standing up on her outstretched hands, giving a little yawn before looking at him with curious eyes. “He’s my familiar. Or rather, my warlocks familiar. You’re so pretty.” She coos as she brings the dragon closer, pressing a little kiss to the top of its head. The dark black scales stand out, and when the light hits them just right, there are little glimmers of green, blue, and purple. 

“I think… I think people are already going to have some trouble accepting your ability to become a dragon. Blatantly bringing another before them as a mere pet would be inadvisable.” Solas winces as he watches her smile shatter, the glow she had been creating vanishing in a heartbeat. “Vhen’an,” He groans, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighs, trying to keep his resolve strong against her puppy dog eyes. 

“What about a snake? Could I have a pet snake with me?”

“Better that than a baby dragon.” Her eyes fall to the small dragon, her lower lip jutting out as she pouts. 

“Can I turn you into a snake? I don’t think I can keep you like this.” In answer, the little reptile nudges its head into her cheek. “Okay, hold on, it won’t hurt a bit.” Another shimmer of magic has the little dragon changing again. Gone are it’s arms and legs and wing, it’s body elongating and coiling around her wrist. It keeps the same dark scales, and once the transformation is complete, it flickers out its little forked tongue at her.

"You’re quite handsome like this too, very sleek. Here, I can wear you around my neck, that way you don’t get cold.” With very little help, Mr. Squiggles wraps carefully around her neck, his head ending up resting just under the hollow of her throat. His eyes are an oddly bright shade of green, and though it is a little unnerving to see a snake worn like jewelry, Solas doesn’t truly mind. 

“Any other surprises you wish to let me know about before we get there?”

“Nope.” Felicity giggles, popping the p at the end as she turns to look out the window. They had gotten into Denerim a little bit ago, now they simply had to make their way to the castle. “Mr. Squiggles could come in handy. I can send him places and see through his eyes and make him do stuff.”

“Can you not already scry?”

“Well, yeah, but I can do this without having to make a show of it. You never know, might be useful one day. How long do you think before the others notice?”

“Not long, da’len. Hopefully, they don’t cause too much of a scene.”

“I gotta keep them on their toes somehow.” Solas rolls his eyes, carefully putting away his book before pulling her across the carriage and into his arms. 

“I imagine they wish you wouldn’t keep them on their toes quite so much. I thought their eyes were going to fall out when you came out in your swimsuit last night.”

“It was a cute bikini! There are way worse ones on earth; at least everything was fully covered.”

“Yes, everything apart from nearly your entire body. It is good Dáithí was not here; I imagine he would have gone around blinding people who dared to stare but not before wrapping you up in an entire quilt. As it was, I was tempted to pluck a few eyes myself.” Solas growls, remembering how some of the soldiers had stared after her as she ran into the small lake, their eyes following her even after she had changed. 

“What am I supposed to do, swim in a potato sack?”

“Maybe just not in your smalls.”

“Pfft, you guys are so funny… and dramatic. Just you wait, I’ll show what I could have picked.”

“Only if you want to be locked up in whatever room they give you for the foreseeable future, vhen’an.” He purrs into her ear, grinning as she shivers. 

“Hmm, sounds like a good time to me.”

“You are too tempting for your own good.”

“That’s why you love me.” Felicity quickly turns to straddle him, kissing him as deeply as she can, rocking her hips into his dangerously before pulling herself back and sitting on her side of the carriage again. She bites her lip as she watches Solas slowly open his eyes, drawing a slow breath in through his nose, hands clenching around nothing as he tries to control himself.

“You are walking that dangerous line again, ‘ma vhen’an.”

“It worked out well for me last time.” He just hums in response, his intense eyes locked with hers, a wicked smirk tugging at his lips as he has his revenge. A heartbeat later, Felicity feels such heat and desire moving through the bond, the raw emotions burning over every nerve ending, igniting something deep inside her.

A dangerous line indeed.

“What is it you always say, Felicity? Cat got your tongue?” Another wave of pleasure and desire pulses into her body from him, Felicity slumping back with a shuddering gasp, her body jerking as she clenches around nothing. She flipped a switch in him that she probably shouldn’t have, not when she was due to appear before the King and Queen of Ferelden just as soon as they stopped moving. 

Felicity shudders again, letting out a moan far too loud before she slaps her hands over her mouth. All the while, Solas sits there, heated eyes watching her, that same wicked smirk on his lips. 

“Th-that’s c-che-cheating-!” She gasps as her whole world is rocked again, goosebumps forming as she listens to his delightfully dark chuckle. 

“I do not think you laid out a set of rules when you began this, vhen’an.” Seconds drag into minutes as Solas keeps sending pulse after pulse of heat burning through her.

“S-shit, Solas, I-I n-need-”

“What is it you need, Felicity?” Her breath is knocked from her chest at the next wave, Solas pushing her so close to the edge but denying her in the end.

“Y-you…” She whimpers, letting out a frustrated sob when still she is denied. But her answer must have been right, because Solas is pulling her across the carriage again, kissing her for one blessed moment before grinding her hips into his. His lips find her ear as one final wave of pleasure washes over her body.

“Let go for me, Felicity,” Solas demands, his teeth nipping the tip of her ear as she is pushed over the edge, gasping and shuddering as all at once she’s overwhelmed. It takes a moment before she can breathe again, Solas peppering her neck and shoulders with little kisses as she comes down from her high. 

“Fuck…” She hisses as her heart starts beating at a regular pace. That was too intense, she can’t remember ever feeling that good before, and he’d barely laid a finger on her. Every past lover is put to shame, and that would only get worse when Solas finally held her for the first time.

“Just as soon as we are alone, vhen’an.”

“Haha, aren’t you clever. You better teach me how to do that.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then you are going to find yourself turned into a toad, and it’s not going to be a shift you can come back from.”

“We wouldn’t want that.”

“No, we wouldn’t. I can-” Felicity tries to pull back, more than willing to give as good as she gets, but Solas keeps her close. A flicker of his magic cools her heated skin and cleans up the mess he’d caused with his little spirit trick. 

“We are nearly there, I can be patient.”

“Damn, I wish we were back at Skyhold, where I can just tell people to leave me alone, and they have to listen.”

“That would be nice.” No sooner do the words leave his lips does the carriage come to a stop. “But it will have to wait. Are you ready?”

“I really hope my legs don’t give out. That’d be super embarrassing. ‘Hello, Alistair and Eliora, nice to meet you, don’t mind me while I eat dirt, I just had the best orgasm ever in the history of the world, and now my legs don’t quite work right. How’re you?’ Josie would kill me on sight if I did that.”

“Ah, vhen’an, you haven’t begun to see the pleasure I can give you.”

“Sh-shit, stop that!” Felicity shudders again as a flicker of desire burns through her. “If it gets any better, my heart may actually stop beating, so just keep that in mind, mister.”

“I will endeavor to keep that from happening, Felicity.” Solas kisses her cheek, pulling back just in time as Panelan opens the door. Felicity is quick to notice the slight blush in his cheeks. He hadn’t heard a thing, Solas making sure to insulate the carriage, but he had felt flickers of what Solas was doing to Felicity, and it would be a moment before he could look either of them in the eyes.

“Da’asha, do you need help from the carriage?”

“N-no.” She stutters, embarrassed for a moment before Solas calms her spirit again. “Thank you, though, Llewellyn. Oh shit, look at that, they’re already here watching. Awesome.” Felicity plasters a smile on her face, talking through her teeth to Solas. “I’m going to strangle you, Solas.” She hisses as cheerfully as she can manage, rolling her eyes at the chuckle she hears behind her. 

“Greetings, Inquisitor.” Anxiety flutters in her stomach as she is addressed by her title as it always does, but it vanishes as quickly as it came when she sees Alistair and Eliora standing side by side alive and well.

“Hello, Your Majesties.” Felicity gracefully bows as she walks up the steps, everyone falling into place behind her. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You’ve moved up from merely an Inquisition agent since then.” Eliora’s smile is genuine, which throws Felicity for a loop. She was sure they’d be suspicious and angry at her for the whole mess with the mages still. 

“It was quite the jump, yes. How’ve you guys been?”

“Better since Tevinter lost its foothold here.” Alistair’s eyes narrow as they land on Dorian, who- to his credit- doesn’t look the least bit put out or intimidated by the attention.

“That’s fair, the Venatori suck.” Alistair lets out a startled laugh at her words, trying to cover it up with a cough and failing miserably. “You can laugh, it was supposed to be kinda funny. But also super true, they are just the worst.” She giggles as she watches Eliora elbow her husband. 

“I’m sure you all are tired from the journey. We’ve prepared rooms, and tonight we had planned a small evening meal, nothing too formal if you would care to join us.”

“Of course, thank you!” 

“Oh, look at that, you do glow.” Eliora’s offhand comment has Felicity’s glow vanishing in a heartbeat as she grows self-conscious. 

“S-sorry, it just sort of happens.”

“No, no, it’s quite alright. Seeing it in person is different than hearing about it is all. Now, if you’ll just follow Wilbur, he will show you to your rooms.”

Eliora is quick to pull Alistair away before he does something as rude as laugh at the Inquisitor again. Even if she didn’t mind, it was still out of the question to just laugh like that. 

“What she said was funny, what was I supposed to do?” He snickers as they make their way back to their little garden.

“Smile, nod, not laugh at her and then try to cover it up as poorly as you did. The Inquisition is growing in power every day, we need them as much as they need us.”

“She wasn’t offended or anything.”

“Please Ali, just try not to when there are eyes watching.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll try. She seems nice enough. Did you get a hold of Percival?”

“I was able to find him in the Fade a few nights ago. It was hard to really talk with him, but he said he’s on his way back with Zev and Sten.”

“They should be here soon then. Do you really think it’s wise not to tell him?”

“What if we’re wrong?”

“What if we’re right?” Alistair questions back, thinking of the young man who’d saved him and Eliora both on many occasions. 

They would find out soon enough, he supposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >///<
> 
> Guys, I was writing at work on my break when all of a sudden, Solas was going for it! This wasn't supposed to be here, I had plans for later, but then this happened! I'm so glad my desk is in a corner, so people can't see what I'm typing unless they come all the way down to see.
> 
> Anywho, there are two chapters this week, I'm ahead of schedule so I figured I might as well put up some extra. :)


	28. Chapter 28

“Why do you have a snake?” Adaar asks as they get to Felicity’s rooms for the foreseeable future. Panelan does a double-take, still not quite able to look Felicity in the eye, but does notice around her neck is a dark snake. It could have been mistaken for jewelry had it not just opened its eyes.

“Mr. Squiggles is my familiar, he was going to be a pseudodragon, but Solas said I shouldn’t push it. He’s very pretty, isn’t he?”

“But why do you have him?”

“Because I always wanted a familiar. And if I need to, I can have him going off someplace, and I can see and hear through him. If we needed more incognito, I could change him to a spider or a fly.”

“Are you anticipating the need to spy on others while we are here?”

“No, Alistair and Eliora are good people, we’re safe here. I just thought it might come in handy one day, Adaar. Hey, Llewellyn?”

“Yes, da’asha?”

“Could you find Claire for me? I just wanna ask her what I should expect at this dinner tonight and how formally I need to appear.”

“Of course.” He’s gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Adaar to help Felicity unpack.

“You know I can do this, right? I’m not even gonna unpack everything. I’m always worried about forgetting stuff when I unpack it at hotels and stuff. I’ll just be hanging up my clothes and stuff.”

“Hotel?”

“Like an inn but bigger. Some hotels even had hundreds and hundreds of rooms. People stay there when traveling and vacations and stuff. I always liked the ones with water parks too, I’m a sucker for water slides and wave pools.”

“No swimming here,” Adaar remembers what she had worn the last time she swam, and that would not fly in Ferelden, not if she wanted to come across as respectable.

“I know, I know. You guys are ridiculous, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Promise me. Ambassador Montiliyet will be… unhappy if she finds out we let you do this.”

“I promise.” Felicity rolls her eyes as she flops onto the large bed. It would be weird sleeping without Solas here; it still irked her that they weren’t allowed to room together like always. But Josephine had made sure to tell her on multiple occasions that they couldn’t. They were not technically wed, so it would be improper, evidently being married magically didn’t count in the eyes of the people. 

“Adaar?” He looks to her, waiting for her next question. “You look really good in the new armor. Does it fit okay?”

“Yes.”

“The white and gold don’t bother you? I know it’s probably brighter than what you’re used to.”

“No.”

“They said it would be odd if I wore the colors as well, so I think mine is still gonna be different.”

“You need to stand apart from your guards.”

“That’s what they said. Still, I wanna make sure you’re happy and everything.” Felicity shrugs, turning her face into one of the pillows as she curls into a little. Adaar continues to study her, shaking his head a little. She had to be one of the only persons in power who gave a damn about how their guards felt about their armor’s colors and designs. Or if their ambassador was making sure to eat meals. Or if their commander was seeing the healer help with his withdrawals. Or if the servants were being treated respectfully by visiting nobles.

She would be something else when they got to Orlais.

It’s nearly half an hour later when Panelan comes back with Claire, the men stepping out as her assistant starts to search through her wardrobe for something suitable before waking Felicity. 

“Inquisitor, I believe it’s time to wake up.” She gently shakes her shoulder, laughing when Felicity groans, rolling over and ducking her head under the pillow. “Come on, Felicity, if we get this finished, we can go see Solas and the others.” That was always Claire’s trump card, extra time with Solas never failing to work. Felicity sits up in a heartbeat, unabashedly grinning at Claire. 

“What do we have to do?”

“Get you out of your traveling clothes and dressed for dinner, go over etiquette once more, go over some reports, and then write a few letters back to Skyhold.”

“That sounds like a lot…”

“It’ll go fast, trust me. Now, I’ve set aside your dress; if you want to change, we can go over Ferelden etiquette as you dress. The paperwork shouldn’t take long.”

“You’re the best, Claire. I’d give you a raise if I knew anything about that kind of stuff.”

“My pay is far more than adequate, but thank you.”

Manners and any codes of conduct are way easier in Ferelden than they were in Orlais. And thankfully, there is no Game here, so Felicity wasn’t too worried. Besides, they should be used to some bumbling given who they had for a king. She loved Alistair dearly, but he was no eloquent speaker or formal figure. 

“Should we have brought them like a gift or something?”

“A gift?”

“Yeah, like fine cheese. Ali loves cheese.”

“Why would we need to bring them a gift?”

“...To be friendly? I don’t know.”

“This is a business trip, so no, we don’t need to bring anything. Were we here as friends for leisure, then I suppose a gift couldn’t hurt. You really call the king Ali?”

“I mean, I’ll try not to do it to his face, but it’s gonna be hard. I played through that game way too many times, and I had a tendency of talking to video game characters despite them not being able to hear me and talk back.”

“We’re we all in your games?”

“Well… Kinda, but there were a lot of NPC’s who I couldn’t talk to and stuff. Actually, when you started and made the Herald, you got to choose between the genders and races. I made a Qunari who looked a lot like Adaar, and a human who looked like you. And in the game, the Qunari’s always have the family name of Adaar, the humans are from the Trevelyan family, the elves from Clan Lavellen, and the dwarves are Cadesh’s.”

“There could have been other Herald’s?”

“I mean, maybe? Again, not everything in the game is the same as it is here.”

“I wouldn’t want to be the Herald.”

“I know, right? Shit’s crazy enough without weird magic eating away at my hand. Can I wear my footwraps with this dress?” Felicity steps around the corner from the large closet, wiggling her feet that are visible. The dark green dress is velvety, the design remaining Felicity of every cliche medieval dress, the kind that everyone at renaissance fairs wears. It’s a little heavier than she typically likes, but it does have a nice swishy feeling when she moves. 

Claire looks down at her feet, smiling as Felicity wiggles her toes.

“I don’t see why not. You are Inquisitor and proudly elven, I see no reason to try and hide that. Tonight’s dinner is more of a small, personal affair, nothing too fancy. For the meeting, as that will be a great deal more formal, you will likely be wearing your ceremonial mage robes, the same you wore when you accepted the position. For the formal dinner after, we may need to change to more dressy outfit and shoes, or perhaps Ser Solas can find a way to make some fancier foot wraps.”

“Gold footwraps! With diamonds and pearls!”

“Well, that might be a bit much.”

“And absolutely uncomfortable. Alright, what reports and letters do I need to write? Do they need to be legible?”

“Yes, Felicity, they need to be legible.” Claire had been horrified when she’d seen Felicity’s penmanship. It was all over the place, loopy and sharp at the same time, and a complete mess. If Felicity wrote very slowly, it looked alright, but much of the time, she didn’t have the patience to write that carefully. 

The next hour is filled with laughter on Felicity’s part, exasperation on Claire’s. And after several attempts, they finally get a decent looking report for the Advisors. Writing with a quill and ink is so much harder than Felicity thought it would be, and she ends up making lots of mistakes when she hesitates, blots of ink not uncommon on her parchment.

“So, I can go find Solas now, right?” Claire rolls her eyes as she finishes folding the last of the letters.

“Yes, you can go find Solas now. Please do not forget your position, Inquisitor, and refrain from running through the halls. And tackling anybody. And your typical shenanigans.”

“You ask so much of me, dear Claire.” Felicity giggles, one foot already out the door.

~~~~~

With Panelan’s help, finding Solas only takes a moment. As they walk, Felicity does her best to appear as serious and proper as she is supposed to be, but her smile as she feels Solas’ spirit getting closer and closer undoes all her hard work. They get a few odd glances from passing servants and the rare wandering lord and lady. 

Acacia and the others had almost an entire wing set aside for them, which was probably for the best as it kept them away from the prying eyes of visiting nobility. Felicity can hear the ruckus from down the long hall, her face lighting up as she hears Solas’ voice, a little shocked to listen to him calling a laughing Blackwall an ass. 

As they reach the last corner, Felicity looks around, and when she doesn’t see anyone other than their own people, she dashes around the corner and jumps onto Solas’ back. He stumbles before catching himself, rolling his eyes as Felicity plants a sloppy kiss on the side of his neck. 

“Guess who!”

“If it was anyone other than you, da’len, I can promise you they never would have gotten on my back.”

“As it should be.” She giggles, Solas moving his arms to hold her legs and steady her. “So why is Blackwall an ass?”

“Immature questions. He and Sera both seem intent on figuring out if I am ever more than friends with spirits in the Fade, that it was a simple yes or no question. When I said that nothing about spirits is simple, especially not that, he took it as a yes.”

“He’s just jealous because you get more than he does.” Felicity snickers as Blackwall’s cheeks heat, before yelping as Solas pinches the back of one of her legs. 

“Do not encourage them, Felicity.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. What do you think of my dress?”

“As I have not had a chance to see it, I would not be able to say.”

“But it feels soft, right? Like velvet.”

“It is like burlap when compared to your skin.”

“Ha! That’s ridiculous, how can you manage to say that with a straight face?”

“It is the truth, why would I laugh?” Solas turns his head to the side, pressing a kiss to her temple with a small smile as he sees her heated cheeks and the pink tips of her ears. “Have you finished up with all your work already?”

“I have. Pretty impressive, right?” She swings her legs back and forth, looking around for Dorian and Cole. The young spirit boy was nowhere to be seen, but Dorian was off to the side, a book in one hand, a glass of wine in the other. And though he was sitting there as casual as can be, Felicity could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes don’t even move across the pages before he flips them. 

“He has been quiet since we got here.” Solas softly says as Blackwall and Sera get into a discussion about peaches that the Warden is none too pleased to be a part of.

“I’m gonna go talk to him. Maybe it would be best if he went with Acacia after all. I don’t want him being treated like shit here simply because of where he was born.”

She hops down from his back, making a beeline for her favorite Tevinter mage, sliding the last few feet on the heels of her leather footwraps. Felicity ends up gently bumping into his elegantly crossed legs, though not enough to hurt or spill even a drop of his expensive wine. 

“Hello there, lovely Dorian.”

“Lovely Dorian, is it?”

“Yes. What are you reading?” She sits on the armrest of his chair, leaning into his side and looking down at the weathered pages of whatever book he had open. 

“Drivel.” Dorian snaps the book shut, taking a slow sip of wine before turning to Felicity. “You look lovely in deep green, though I must admit, it doesn’t come close to the gown you wore that first night as Inquisitor.”

“Nothing is ever going to beat that one. What style of dresses do they have in Tevinter?”

“Bolder than anything here,” Dorian says with a snort. “More revealing, but nothing obscene- at least not normally. More vibrant colors. I think you would like them.”

“Maybe I can have Josie tell the tailors to make me some.”

“I… I don’t think that would be wise. Tevinter isn’t exactly seen in a forgiving light down here.”

“Not all of Tevinter is bad, just like not all of Ferelden isn’t all good. Besides, can you imagine all their shocked faces when I come strolling out lookin’ fine as hell in clothes they can’t even dream of wearing? We’d be the best-looking people in Skyhold.”

“We already are, Felicity.” Dorian grins at her, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. 

“Did someone say something? Because I am not at all above petty curses.”

“No, no one said anything. But it’s my home, and for all it’s faults, there is good there. There is history and knowledge and actually less blood magic than people expect. But my idiot countrymen who join fanatical cults end up tainting everyone’s view.”

“Just wait, people will see soon enough, not everything from Tevinter is bad.”

“You know this from your game?”

“Well, yes, partly. But also because I know you, and you’ll prove them all wrong.” Dorian takes a shaky breath, bringing the wine glass back up for a long sip to disguise his emotional reaction. “And again, if you need it, I’ll one hundred percent curse someone to be clumsy for the next month, or be impotent, or have the sudden inability to keep their eyes straight.”

“Remind me to never get on your bad side.”

“I don’t think it’s possible for you to get on my bad side.” She leans against his side, resting her cheek on the top of his head for a heartbeat, careful not to mess up his perfect hair. “When we get back to Skyhold, I want your help learning about Tevinter if you have the time. I’m learning about practically every other country except the one Corypheus was from ages ago. I’d like history, actual history, not the Chantry shit.”

“I will do my best, Inquisitor.”

“I know you were supposed to chill with me this week, but you can head out with the others if it gets to be too much. “His smile is much more genuine this time, and he shakes his head. “Alright, but if you change your mind, just let me know. Solas!”

“You do not need to shout, da’len.”

Dorian’s eyebrows furrowed. “What does that mean?” 

“Little one.” Solas and Felicity answer at the same time, Dorian slowly nodding. 

“I thought perhaps it was something sickly sweet like ‘eternal love of my life.’”

“Meh, he’s said cheesier things than that before.” Felicity stands, carefully balancing on the armrest, hands on her hips as she looks down at Solas. “Wow, it’s nice up here. Is this how you feel all the time?” Solas rolls his eyes when she reaches out to pat the top of his head.

“Did you need something, Felicity?” Instead of answering, she just holds out her arms, waiting with a grin for him to step closer and hug her. Again he rolls his eyes but steps forwards regardless. 

“I just wanted to try hugging you like this, where I’m the taller one for once.”

“Verdict?” 

“I like it better when you’re the one holding me.” With a shrug and a giggle, Felicity hops down from the armrest and straight into Solas’ waiting arms. “This is best.” Felicity sighs as she rests her cheek over his heart, listening to the steady rhythm with a little grin. 

“Like I said, sickly sweet. Honestly, you should be ashamed of yourselves for such displays.”

“Don’t be jealous just because you haven’t found your own cuddle buddy yet, lovely Dorian.” 

“Yet? Are you implying I’m going to find such a thing soon?” Felicity peeks an eye open to look at Dorian, who, despite his best efforts to appear aloof, can’t hide the hopefully gleam in his eyes.

“We’ll see. Let me know if you need a wingman- woman! I’d be great at it!” 

“I’m sure.” Dorian gracefully stands with the book tucked away in one arm, his now empty glass in the other. “I’m going to need more wine if I’ve got to be subjected to such displays of affection for the duration of this trip.”

“Was his love life truly in your game?” Solas quietly asks as Dorian walks away.

“Oh yeah. You could romance him if you were a guy, but if you didn’t he could end up with Bull.” Solas’ brows shoot up, eyes wide as he processes that. Both hadn’t been openly hostile with each other, but jabs had been traded regarding both of their homes and people. 

“Interesting.”

“It’s adorable, is what it is.”

“Are you going to meddle?”

“What? Me? Never! I’ll just… help them along a little bit if they need it.” Solas just shakes his head with a low chuckle. Felicity may be the most wondrous woman he’d ever met, but subtlety was not always her strong suit.

~~~~~

The small dinner went well, and though it took a while to fall asleep alone in bed, Felicity has a restful night. It’s a flurry of activity in the morning as Claire helps her get ready for the start of the meetings. 

“I think the meeting went pretty well! That wasn’t nearly as bad as you all made it sound!” Felicity flops onto her bed with a huge sigh, looking to Claire when she clears her throat.

“That was merely the introduction and laying out the agenda. The real meeting begins tomorrow.”

“Oh… well, never mind then, it’s probably still gonna suck. Can I get out of this monstrosity?” Felicity kicks her legs, the heavy fabric of her formal dress seeming to grow heavier with each passing moment.

“Were you going to dinner in your pajamas?”

“Is that a possibility?”

“No,” Claire answers with a deadpan expression, not even waiting for Felicity to finish her question. “It will only be a few more hours, and then you are free to wear whatever you please.”

“Can I at least change into my footwraps? These heeled boots are a menace.”

“If I say yes, will you keep the dress on?”

“Yes.”

“Then, yes. I’m going to go send off the reports and let Josie know everything is going well here.”

“Why does that sound like a warning?” Felicity giggles, trying to look innocent and failing miserably. 

“Because it most certainly is. If I hear of you racing down the halls in your socks again, I’m going to make sure your schedule is booked with nothing but meetings with Orlesian nobles for the next month.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” She knows for a fact that Claire most definitely would dare.

“You are free to find out,” Claire says in a sing-songy voice as she walks out, Felicity sighing as she huddles under the blankets. The longer she sits still, the more she feels the tight corset of the dress crushing her abdomen. 

Felicity stands, glancing around to make sure she was truly alone, before undoing the clasps and ties and buttons of the gown. When it came time to eat, she could put it back on, but for now, she needed to breathe. Felicity pulls one of Solas’ sweaters over her head, taking a deep breath and grinning at the earthy smell with just a hint of campfire smoke that always clung to his clothes. 

Whatever Solas was doing, she could feel exasperation in his spirit. He was probably being subjected to Sera. 

Felicity is in the middle of writing him a little letter when she hears shouting growing louder outside her door. That made her nervous, especially when whoever was doing the yelling seemed to stop right outside her door. 

Magic sparks around her, condensing around her arms as she steps away from the desk and towards the door, her letter forgotten. The words were muffled by the heavy door, but it sounded like someone was determined to get into the room, and Adaar- among the other Inquisition guards- were not going to let that happen. 

Felicity squares her shoulders before reaching to pull the door open, though Adaar unintentionally helped with that as he was pushed in. She jumps back a step, amazed someone manages to push him, but before he can right himself and retake his place, she walks forward.

“What’s going on… here…” There, fighting against the guards who rushed to hold him back after he shoved Adaar, stands a tall tan elf. His hair is jet black with just enough curl to make it perpetually messy. Icy blue eyes flicker to her, and as he looks at her, he goes still.

“Take him away-”

“No!” They both shout, Felicity moving to take a step closer, but Adaar stops her, his hands landing on her shoulder.

“Inquisitor, you must go inside-”

“Cinnamon bleach!” Both Felicity and Percy shout as they stare at each other, their hearts racing as they hear the other say the code word their mom had given them when they were children. If for any reason, someone else had to pick them up from school or practice or anything, they would have to give Percy and Felicity the code words before they were supposed to go with them. Both kids were sure that no one would want to kidnap them, they were skilled at annoying people when they put their minds to it, but they had promised their mother regardless.

“Da’asha, please head into the room-”

“No! No, I- that- Percy?! Percy, you’re here? Alive?!” Tears stream down her cheeks as she pulls against Adaar’s grip on her.

“Holy shit, Felicity! When did you get here? You’re Inquisitor- dammit, get off me!” He turns to spit at the soldiers, yanking himself free and stumbling towards Felicity. She starts hyperventilating as Percy continues to fight. It was undoubtedly her brother; he looked and sounded just like he had, except he was older now with pointed ears. He still had the two piercings in his left eyebrow, still had the same large, round glasses with the small sunflower charm she had made him when she was no more than four. He even had all his freckles. 

But he was dead, for years now he’s been dead. There was no way he could have come through Breach with her! She’d buried the mangled remains of him after the car crash; she stood next to her sobbing mother as people filed past and gave their condolences. 

“Felicity, slow down-”

“Da’asha, look at me-” Adaar and Panelan try and get her attention, but her eyes remain locked on her brother, who continues to struggle and cuss. It doesn’t take long for Ferelden guards come running up, arguing with those trying to detain Percy. A blast of cold air silences everyone as Solas Fade Steps into the mess, having felt her spirit’s distress.

“Vhen’an! Shh, shh, it’s okay. Everything is okay.” It takes a moment, but her eyes flicker up to his, his heart breaking at the confusion and pain and hope he finds there.

“Let me see her! She’s my sister!” Percy shouts, not that Solas pays him any mind.

“Felicity, I need you to breathe slower. Can you follow me?”

“M-my brother… he’s alive!”

“I see that, but if you do not relax a little, you’re going to pass out.”

“Too late-” Felicity’s eyes roll back, her body going slack and falling into Solas. He catches her easily, his magic already washing over her to try and calm her unsteady spirit. 

“Enough.” He barks to the arguing mess of people behind him. Percy continues to fight, but Solas can hee the concern and worry in his eyes, eyes that never once waiver from Felicity’s now unconscious body. “Release him.” The Inquisition guards don’t even hesitate at Solas’ order, having rarely seen the quiet elf so commanding. “Adaar, Llewellyn, if you would please join us, it seems there is much to discuss with this man.”

“I do not think it wise-”

“I appreciate that, but she recognized him just as he did her. Clearly, something is going on.” Solas doesn’t wait for a response from Adaar as he walks back into the room. Felicity was dressed in one of his sweaters over a thin slip, her formal gown draped over the back of her desk chair, and Solas quickly tucks her under the covers of her bed. 

Adaar remains at her side, his steely eyes locked on Percy as he is directed to one of the table chairs by Panelan. 

“Who are you?” Solas asks as he joins him at the table. He was in no mood for pleasantries right now, and he needed answers before Felicity woke up again.

“My name is Percy Pennel, I’m her older brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada~! Two chapters! Though to be fair, this one is a little short. :)


	29. Chapter 29

Zevran and Sten had broken away from the rest of the group as they got near Skyhold, the Antivan more than a little desperate to see Leliana again. He did his best to appear aloof, but when news came of the attack on Haven, everyone could see him fretting over who survived and who did not. 

Percy, and his ever-faithful mabari Torfinn, continued to make their way back to Denerim. They hadn’t much success in their continued search for the cure, and with everything changing, it was for the best that Ellie called them back. It would give them a chance to regroup before heading back out. 

The closer they got, the more towns they stopped off in, the more they heard about the Inquisition. 

At first, it was whispers about the attack, then rumors about them surviving, rumors about a holy dragon. When they got into Ferelden, it was more than just rumors. The Lightbringer they called it, her. But Percy was skeptical, sure it must have been some kind of illusion; there was no way dragons would fight for people. They were animals here; the few they run across aggressive and territorial. 

When Denerim came into sight, he felt a weight come off his shoulders. There had been nothing but fights as they traveled. Fights against darkspawn, against demons, against bandits and wildlife. He was beyond tired of fighting, and Denerim was one of the few places he felt safe enough to walk around without his armor and bow. 

“Come on, Finn, we’re almost there. You wanna see Ellie again, right?” His ears perk up, Torfinn immediately barking happily. Ellie always spoiled him with treats; it wasn’t any wonder why the old dog got so excited.

“Ser Percy! You’re back?”

“Hey, Theodore. It’s been a while. How’s Jamie and the kids?”

“Good, they’re good. Where’s the rest of the motley crew?” His eyes narrow as he looks around and behind Percy, in particular, searching for a certain flirty Antivan. Zevran had used his honeyed words on Theodore’s wife before, and though they were harmless, he wasn’t too pleased that his wife found it enjoyable. 

“They stopped by Skyhold, or at least they were going to try to find it to stop by.”

“The Inquisition’s Skyhold?”

“Is there another I don’t know about?”

“No, at least I don’t think so. I just hope they didn’t have any business with the Inquisitor.”

“Does she have something against Qunari and elves?”

“Quite the opposite, or so I’ve heard. But no, they are just here by request of the King and Queen.”

“Oh, that’s fun. What is she like? Is she really a dragon?”

“I mean, I only caught a glance of her when they got her. But she looks like she could definitely be a dragon. Has scale markings and snake-y eyes. Giles said he saw her wearing some kind of serpent around her neck.”

“That could be makeup or face paint.”

“Maybe, but she’s also got this light around her sometimes. But all the servants say she’s the sweetest girl they’ve ever met.”

“No Orlesian noble then?”

“Not even close. She has thanked the cooks, personally walking to the kitchens to offer compliments to the chefs. She helps the servants clear the tables and makes her bed in the mornings. She cleans up her rooms and is always polite when addressing the servants and guards.”

“Wow, she sounds like a decent person. How rare.” Percy says with a laugh, Theodore joining in. Both had many run-ins with nobles and lords who didn’t value anyone beneath them, and it always left a sour taste in their mouth. “Does she have a name, or is it only Inquisitor?”

“I’m trying to remember. It wasn’t a typical elven name.”

“Oh, she’s elven, is she? The Orlesians are going to hate that.”

“Was it Faith? No, no, I think it was longer. But something with an ‘f’…” Theodore trails off for a moment, muttering out different names beginning with f before finally landing on the right one. “Felicity! That was it- Felicity something Pen something. We were told to address her as Inquisitor, so we haven’t paid much attention to names. But Felicity isn’t an elven name, is it?”

“Felicity Maria Pennel?” Percy feels his blood turn to ice, stopped dead in his tracks as he quietly says the name he hadn’t dared to say in far too many years. The pain it brought up was always too much to handle. 

“That’s it! How’d you know? Wait, aren’t you a Pennel? Do you know her-? Percy?!” He takes off running, leaving Theodore behind more than a little confused.

Percy races through the halls he knows by heart, Torfinn following until they reach the guest wing. He knew better than to enter there, having caused too many scenes in the past. So even though Percy goes running in, Torfinn stops at the doors, sitting down and whining.

It couldn’t be a coincidence, it couldn’t be!

But if it was real, did that mean she died on Earth too?

Was their mom all alone now?

That hurt too much to linger on, so he quickly pushes it away. 

The biggest room was at the far end, and if the Inquisitor was staying anywhere, it’d be there. He races past the guards standing vigilant in the halls, though they all stare at him running. Outside the door to the room she must be in stands a massive Qunari in formal armor. It must be the Inquisitor’s personal guard, the colors and design different from the other soldiers here.

“I need to see her.” He pants as he skidded to a stop in front of the door, reaching for the handle, but the Qunari grabs his arm before he can get close. “Let me go, I need to see her! Felicity Maria Pennel, I need to see her!” Percy yanks his arm away, easily dodging as the Qunari tries to grab him. 

“Who are you?”

“Let me in!” Percy growls as another guard in white gold armor comes out of one of the rooms and joins the fray. “Get off! She’s my-” He cuts off with a grunt as he shoves the Qunari off him and into the opening door.

“What’s going on… here…” For a heartbeat, everything falls silent as all eyes turn towards the now open door and the small woman who opened it.

Her hair is shorter than he remembers it, but it’s still the same messy blonde curls. Pointed tips of elven ears peek out from the curls with the same piercings she used to have. She looks older and elven, but it’s the face of his sister that he is staring into. That’s Felicity. The slit pupils and clusters of scales throw him off, but it is undoubtedly his baby sister standing here. 

“Take him away-” The Qunari barks at the guards approaching, snapping everyone back to the present.

“No!” Both he and Felicity shout, Percy’s heart singing as he sees the same recognition in her eyes. She steps closer or tries too, but her guard stops her with two large hands on her shoulders. 

“Inquisitor, you must go inside-”

“Cinnamon bleach!” He feels his heart stop in his chest before kicking back to life. She was here! His baby sister was really here!

“Da’asha, please head into the room-

“No! No, I- that- Percy?! Percy, you’re here? Alive?!” God, hearing her voice after so many years without her, he couldn’t describe the feelings welling up in his chest if he tried.

“Holy shit, Felicity! When did you get here? You’re Inquisitor- dammit, get off me!” He can see her start to hyperventilate, and he fights even harder to get to her. If Percy could just get there, he could help her. 

“Inquisitor, slow down-”

“Da’asha, look at me-”

Both her guards move closer to her as they watch her start to break, other Inquisition soldiers stepping up to hold Percy back. She just gets worse and worse, and Percy is so close to breaking free, but again everything comes screeching to a halt when cold air fills the corridor, a tall bald elf now blocking his sister from view. 

“Vhen’an! Shh, shh, it’s okay. Everything is okay.” The man quietly whispers to her, but still, the sound of her quick breaths continues.

“Let me see her! She’s my sister!” Percy shouts, not that any of the men pay him any mind. That only makes him angrier, makes him fight harder. All these years he hadn’t been able to see her, nothing would stop him now!

“Felicity, I need you to breathe slower. Can you follow me?”

“M-my brother… he’s alive!”

“I see that, but if you do not relax a little, you are going to pass out.”

“Too late-” Percy curses as he watches the elf catch Felicity, his poor sister having worked hyperventilated into unconsciousness. Finally, he stops fighting, staring at Felicity with worry in his eyes. She didn’t typically get to the point of passing out when she hyperventilated, at least she never used to. 

They talk, not that he hears anything, but he quietly follows when they ushered him into the room. Whoever this blad elf was, he evidently had authority around here. No one questions it as he carries her into the room and tucks her under the covers. The man joins him at the table, and Percy only looks away from Felicity when he addresses him directly.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Percy Pennel, I’m her older brother.”

“You are from Earth as well?” Solas doesn’t bat an eye as he brings up where Felicity was truly from, Percy warily looking to her guards before nodding. If they already knew, there was no reason for him to try and hide it.

“Yeah. I was in a car accident, but I woke up here right at the start of the Fifth Blight. I was in the tower with Eliora and Alistair when shit hit the fan. How long has she been here?”

“Several months now, almost a year.”

“With the Breach?”

“That’s when she appeared, yes.”

“Is she dead back home?”

“Felicity believes so. A car accident, just like you.”

“Shit. Mom must be-”

“She had said your mother passed away a few years after you did.”

“Felicity buried us both?” Percy’s shoulders slump as he quietly curses. He can’t imagine how hard that must have been for Felicity. “Who’re you? All of you?”

“My name is Solas. This is Adaar and Llewellyn.”

“But who are you to her?” Percy’s sharp eyes flicker to Solas’ after sparing only a glance at the other two men.

“They are her personal guards.”

“And you?” Percy bristles when Solas pointedly doesn’t answer the question in regards to himself. But Solas isn’t intimidated by the demanding tone. He squares his shoulder, looking every inch of his past persona Fen’Harel for a heartbeat as he answers truthfully.

“Her husband.”

~~~~~

Felicity comes to consciousness slowly, woken by the sound of arguing. One voice is Solas’; she’d have been able to pick out his calm tone anywhere. The other throws her for a loop. It’s low and smooth and not possible. 

Percy was dead…

With a groan, she rolls over, unable to pry her eyes open.

“Stop shouting.” She mumbles, and the room falls silent in the wake of her quiet words.

“Vhen’an, how are you feeling?”

“Claire’s gonna get mad at me. You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I think she will find it in her heart to forgive you. But you did not answer my question.”

“Lissy?” Percy mumbles, moving to stand, but doesn’t end up following through when Adaar takes a step closer to him. Right now, they didn’t need to fight; they needed to look after his sister. Felicity remains silent for a long moment as the memories of how she ended up in bed came back to her.

“Solas?”

“Yes?”

“Is Percy really alive?”

“Yes. It seems he was brought to Thedas several years ago. He may be the other one Cole had talked about.”

“I’m not dreaming? Or crazy?”

“No, da’len, you are not. Are you feeling okay?”

“...What if I lose him again? I can’t- I can’t do that again.”

“Lissy I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” Slowly Felicity sits up, cautiously opening her eyes to see if her mind was playing tricks on her. Sitting at the small table Felicity had in her room is Solas, and across from him sits her brother. At least his elven equivalent. 

“I-I really missed you, Percy,” Felicity says with a sob, and Percy can’t hold it back any longer. He jumps up from the chair and rushes over to the bed, carefully tackling his sister back into all the pillows with a choked off sob of his own.

“I missed you too. I’m so sorry, I- I didn’t mean to leave. I didn’t see the semi until it was too late. He was in the wrong lane, and the rain was insane-”

“I know! He was falling asleep at the wheel. Mom was so mad at him for taking you away when you have your whole life ahead of you. We had lemon bars at the wake, just like you said you always wanted. There were sixteen different pans full of them.”

“I always wondered if anyone brought them.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Since the start of the Fifth Blight.”

“You know Eliora and Ali?”

“Yeah, saved their butts more times than I can count. What’s this about being married? You just got here a few months ago!”

“I’m an adult, I can do what I want! I love Solas, and he loves me.” Percy opens his eyes to glance at the bald elf who watches the pair with a small smile. 

“He’s too old.” He decides, and Felicity breaks into a fit of watery giggles. 

If only he knew just how old Solas really was.

“He’s perfect, and if you don’t be nice to him, I’m not going to make us pepper pineapple pepperoni pizza and spaghetti tacos for dinner tonight.”

“Shit, I take it all back! He’s wonderful, I wholeheartedly approve. I haven’t had anything close to pizza in _years.”_ The quietly banter back and forth regarding what she should make and how she would manage to make it until there is a quiet knock on the door.

Panelan quickly answers the door, stepping back when he sees Eliora and Alistair standing there with nervous expressions. When they see the siblings crying on the bed clinging to each other, they breathe a sigh of relief. 

“I told you we should have warned him,” Alistair says, cutting off when his lovely wife jams an elbow into his abdomen. 

“You knew?” Percy looks up at his most trusted friends, unable to decide if he should be mad or not.

“I had a suspicion. When we saw her in Redcliffe, she looked familiar, but we didn’t get her full name. Once the letter came out about her being made Inquisitor, once we saw Pennel, we thought she might be the girl in the picture you always carry. You never said her name, but we knew she must have been family, you’ve got the same eyes and nose.”

“This is why you wanted me back so soon.”

“Well, it’s not the only reason, but yes.” Silence falls over the room while everyone tries to come to terms with everything, Panelan breaking the silence when he hears Felicity’s stomach rumble.

“I, for one, am looking forward to this pizza. When are you making it, da’asha?”

“I can make it whenever. You like spicy things, Llewellyn?”

“So long as they do not set me aflame.”

“You’ll love this, it’s the best pizza ever. Jalapeno peppers, pineapple, pepperoni, and cheese… it’s to die for. How’d you figure out how to make pizza so quickly? I’ve been here for years, and no where I’ve been have they got anything ever close to real pizza.” Percy barely contained his excitement at having pizza again.

“Oh, I cheat.” Felicity waves a hand to the table; Percy, Eliora, and Alistair all startling as in the blink of an eye, her white magic shifts to plates full of food. And while it was nothing like the monarchs had ever seen, Percy’s whole face lit up.

“That’s the best thing ever! A million points to Hufflepuff.” Percy and Felicity are off the bed in a heartbeat, rushing to the table to fight over the best slices of pizza. 

“It’s not poisoned, dig in!” Felicity says with a bright smile, her glow more brilliant than it had been all day. “Solas, here, have a spaghetti taco, it’s nothing like Jello, I promise.”

“He doesn’t like Jello?”

“No one should like that stuff,” Solas answers Percy’s question in place of Felicity, his nose wrinkling up at the memory. Percy watches as Felicity gently pushes Solas into one of the chairs before perching on his lap. One of his arms wraps around her waist, the other holding a spaghetti taco carefully while he waits for her to get her own food. 

“Um… you guys can have some too? Or is it improper for a King and Queen to eat pizza like this? I suppose it’s improper, isn’t it? Oh, Josie is going to kill me.” Still, Felicity doesn’t look particularly broken up about that fact as she happily stuffs her face with pizza.

“Come on, Ellie, you’re gonna love the tacos. Alistair, pizza is to die for.”

“It does look good.” He says, hungry eyes on the several pieces of pizza left, but he doesn’t move to grab one until Eliora sighs and nods. “Yes! What kind of cheese is this on top?”

“Good cheese,” Felicity says with a shrug before turning to Panelan. “It’s good, right?”

“It is. You have the strangest dishes, da’asha.”

“Adaar, would you like some?” He just shakes his head, his eyes still locked on Percy. “Well, you have to eat something. Here, try this and tell me how it is.” She holds out her hand, a large bowl filled with something steaming appearing there. Adaar reluctantly takes it, peering into it before all suspicion falls from his face. There in the dish looks to be something suspiciously like the potato and fennec stew Adaar had told Felicity that his Tamassran used to make. 

“Thank you.”

“I’m sure hers was better, but it probably is still edible.” Adaar nods with the slightest hint of a smile before stepping back with the bowl of soup and a spoon Felicity creates for him.

“Thank you.” He repeats, taking a small bite as that hint of a smile grows just a little stronger. “It is good.”

“Good! I can make chocolate lava cake for dessert-” Felicity freezes when Claire rushes into the room, her worried expression suddenly devoid of all color as she sees the King and Queen sitting at the table eating another one of Felicity’s strange foods.

“Your Majesties, I-”

“Claire, I swear I did good! I didn’t run out or anything!”

“I-Inquisitor, you’re wearing a slip… and a sweater… in front of the monarchs of Ferelden.” Felicity’s eyes drop to her attire, everyone’s eyes do, but Felicity just shrugs.

“Everything important is covered.”

“Ambassador Montilyet is going to fire me… or kill me.” Claire groans, shoulders slumping at Felicity’s nervous chuckle.

“Just tell her it was my idea, I don’t think she can fire me. Or if she does fire you, I’ll just re-hire you, problem solved!”

“How did you end up as Inquisitor, Lissy?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. I think they were just desperate.” She giggles, turning to Alistair, who is reaching for his third piece of pizza. “Here, you’ll like this.” Her magic flickers around the table in front of him, creating a small pot of bubbling cheese with a plate of things to dip into the cheese right next to it. There were different pieces of bread, along with meats, both cooked and dried, and more vegetables than he could name. Alistair doesn’t even take a moment to examine everything, immediately dipping a chunk of bread in and groaning as he slowly chews. 

“Maker’s balls, this is amazing.” Eliora looks over at his meal, looking jealous, but reluctant to reach out and eat it with her hands like her husband was.

“I won’t tattle on you if you don’t tattle on me.” Felicity offers, seeing her reluctance, and her heart grows light at the smile Eliora gives her. It was so nice to see her happy here with Ali...

“Deal!” Percy snorts out a laugh as Eliora fights Alistair for a piece of toasted bread. “Quiet, Percival, just because you’re related doesn’t mean you get special treatment.”

“Maybe you forgot, but I don’t even want the special treatment that comes with the honor of having saved both your asses.”

“Can I hear the stories?”

“No!” Both Eliora and Alistair answer, unable to look Felicity- or anyone- in the eyes as their cheeks flush.

“Oh, but I bet they’re good stories!” Felicity cackles, about to press for more details when she hears barking from down the hall.

“Shit, Finn’s probably still waiting. Gimme a sec.” Percy quickly leaves, his laughter echoing down the hall, but over that, Felicity can hear the sound of a dog running closer. She quickly stands up and heads to the open door. In the blink of an eye, she falls to the ground as a familiar mabari happily jumps around her licking her face and wagging his tail.

“Barkspawn! You made it!” Felicity giggles as she plays on the ground with the dog, petting and scratching until he’s flopped over on the floor in heaven.

“That’s way better than Torfinn,” Alistair says around a mouthful of melted cheese. 

“Finny, what have I told you about jumping on people?” The dog doesn’t even pay Percy any mind, far to content with the attention being showered on him from his newest friend. 

“Oh, he’s such a good boy, though! Yes, you are! The best-est boy! Solas, can I-”

“We are not getting a Mabari, vhen’an.”

“But look at his face!” Both Felicity and Torfinn make puppy dog eyes at the elf still sitting at the table, watching the pair with an exasperated smile.

“You already have a snake, or have you forgotten Mr. Squiggles already?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten!” Felicity’s hand rises to pat the snake’s head, where it rests below the hollow of her throat. “But just because I have him doesn’t mean we can’t also get a dog- or a pet wolf!” The excitement in her face, her genuine innocent desire has Solas rolling his eyes, Panelan fighting not to start choking on his laughter. 

“We are not getting a dog or a wolf, vhen’an. Now come back and finish dinner before it gets cold.”

“Come on, Barkspwan, maybe we can still convince him.” Felicity sits back on Solas’ lap, turning around to kiss his cheek before munching on more pizza. Torfinn’s head rests on her knee, begging for scraps of food like he always does with Eliora. And Felicity is helpless to resist his doggy charms.

“Cut it out, Lissy, you’re going to make him fat.”

“No, I won’t! Besides, how could you say no to this face?” Both Torfinn and Felicity turn to Percy to make puppy dog eyes.

“Easily.”

~~~~~

They stay up into the early hours of the morning talking, waiting until Eliora and Alistair leave before Felicity shares her knowledge of the past and future from her games. Percy isn’t that shocked, they were here as elves after all, but he was beyond excited about her ability to do magic. 

In no time at all, he has a list of D&D spells he wants her to try, also demanding to see her as a dragon. 

Their talking slowly draws to a close, both falling quiet as sleep overtakes them. Solas carefully moves Felicity back onto the bed, and once she’s curled around one of the many pillows, he moves to get a blanket for Percy.

“She really loves you.” Percy wakes when he feels the heavy quilt placed on his shoulders. “And you really love her.”

“She is easy to love.” 

“I’m surprised you got the Chantry on board with this, didn’t think they really married elves, certainly not ‘Maker sent’ ones.”

“They do not.”

“But you’re married?”

“We are bound.”

“You wanna explain that a little bit?” Solas rolls his eyes and sits down across from Percy. 

“Mages all have aura’s, spirits- souls that are uniquely their own. It takes practice to be able to search others out, and no small amount of luck to be born with the gift. In the time of Arlathan, elves would bind themselves to each other, tying their spirits together, literally becoming one. There were also ceremonies for getting married without such commitment, it is no small step to take to forever bind yourself to another.”

“So you and Lissy are magically married.”

“Essentially, yes.”

“Why can’t you room here with her then?”

“It was never officially announced, it happened just before the attack on Haven. Our Ambassador is searching for a way to make it official in the eyes of the nobility and Chantry but does not want rumors flying around in the meantime.”

“I suppose that makes sense. How’s she handling the whole being in charge thing? She was never one for public speaking or leading discussions back on Earth.”

“Felicity does remarkably well, even with this being so far outside her normal realms of expertise.”

“But behind the scenes, she’s holding up alright?”

“She is coping.”

“Just who are you, Solas?”

“An apostate. I have studied the Fade and the Veil for much of my life.” Percy looks unconvinced by his answer but doesn’t press for more details. 

“I’m not going to lose her again.”

“I imagine she feels quite the same.”

“I’ll talk with Ellie about it. We’ve been looking for a cure for the Blight with not much to show for it.”

“I think Felicity would be more than willing to help, and there is plenty of room in Skyhold for such an endeavor.” Solas’ eyes take on a new, intense gleam as he studies the young man before him. “Are you also a Grey Warden?”

“No, I wasn’t going to give myself anything like that. I’ve just been helping out.”

“That’s good because right now, Felicity said Corypheus has the Orlesian Gray Warden’s under his thumb.”

“Shit. How?”

“I do not know the specifics yet. We were supposed to meet with The Champion, but there was some… rather abrupt news she had to deal with in regards to her companion Fenris and his work in Tevinter. She was due back at Skyhold shortly after we returned.”

“We were wondering where all the Wardens were when we were there. There wasn’t anyone at any of the outposts or keeps. This is going to be bad.”

“You are most likely correct.”

“Are you staying here for the night?”

“At this point, leaving now would only cause worse rumors. I will slip out in the morning.” Percy nods, quietly saying goodnight to Felicity once more before sneaking his way out of the room. Once Solas is sure he’s gone, and the door is tightly shut behind him, he carefully crawls into bed with Felicity.

She doesn’t wake, but she does roll over and cling to him. It had been a long day; it was no surprise she was utterly exhausted. 

Solas was going to have to talk to Cole and make sure there weren’t any more surprises like this waiting for them.

~~~~~

She wakes up to Solas quietly talking with Claire, but she continues to fake unconsciousness as she curls just a little closer. They were talking about the meeting being pushed out another day. Officially it was because the Kind and Queen had something come up urgently, but it was to give Felicity some time to get her bearings and catch up with her brother. Whatever the reason, Felicity was grateful.

“Are you going to get up any time soon, da’len?”

“No, probably not. Was she mad you were here?”

“No. And even if she was, I would not have cared. I do not like sleeping alone any longer.”

“Me neither. I love you, Solas.” Felicity presses a sleepy kiss to the side of his neck before drifting back off. Solas tightens his arms around her, kissing the top of her head and whispering back just how much he loves her as well. It’s Panelan who brings breakfast an hour later, Adaar making sure none of the servants find their way in to see Solas sleeping with Felicity.

Once it’s all set out on the table, Panelan casts a quick spell to keep their voices from being heard by those outside. 

“She has a living relative, that’s interesting.”

“So it would seem.”

“Are we sharing your identity with him?”

“I do not know. They are not going to be separating any time soon, nor do I wish for them to. But it will be hard for her to keep secrets from him; she already has to keep it from all her friends and family in Skyhold.”

“Plans have changed, though, haven’t they?”

“There was no way they couldn’t change. Felicity has said she will not allow me to become the monster histories paint me as.”

“She can be quite persuasive.”

“Something like that, yes.”

“Some of our agents near the Storm Coast reported back they’d seen some Wardens camping along the sea. They seemed to be looking for someone.”

“What of the darkspawn on the coast?”

“They fought those they came across, but they did not go searching out for a source. On the subject of darkspawn, we’ve lost contact with another expedition in the Deep Roads. The last word from them was they found an ancient lift going deeper, and they were going to investigate. Do you think her games went over any of that? Or the Titan’s?”

“Felicity said there was a section of the game where they went into the Deep Roads, but she never got very far. I will ask her about it later. They used the heart of a Dun’himelan First Born to create the replica Titan Mythal defeated; I may be able to create another focus if I can find even a few fragments of what remains. It would not be as powerful as my original focus, but it should be able to do the job. She had said my orb will break at the end of this mess, Corypheus’ corruption of it finally pushing it to the limit.”

“If you’re not going to use the focus to pull down the Veil, what will you do?”

“Truthfully, I do not know. The Veil is falling regardless, The Breach only accelerating that process. It’s been fading for ages now. If we can get enough of the artifacts active again, I can try and ease the Veil down slower, but the Fade joining the waking world again is still going to cause chaos.”

“Is it possible to do it in smaller sections? Start around Skyhold and then move to the other countries?”

“Ferelden and Orlais- though each has their own monarchs and leader- are implicitly tied to the Chantry. They will not just allow us to peacefully come in and pull down the Veil to bring magic and spirits back to the world. To give the elves a chance to return to what they were.”

“If the Inquisition stops Corypheus and the start of another Blight, they would be beholden to her. We may need to use that influence.”

“Even if that does work, we will still have the Evanuris to deal with. I do not see how killing them is any more an option now than it was before. And clearly, imprisonment does not work.”

“Maybe Felicity knows a ‘banished from existence’ spell she can use against them.” Solas sucks in a sharp breath at the thought of his little miracle worker facing the Evanuris. Unconsciously his arms tighten even further, and Felicity wakes with a start. 

“Wh-what’s wrong- what is it? Panelan? What are you doing here?”

“Bringing breakfast, da’asha.” He motions to the table covered in food.

“Solas? What’s wrong?” Felicity wiggles her way up until she’s propped up over him, worriedly looking him over for any wounds.

“Nothing, vhen’an-”

“I can feel you freaking out, you silly egg, don’t lie to me. What’s wrong?” Solas’ throat closes around the words, his pained eyes pleading with her to drop it, but that wasn’t really in Felicity’s nature. “What were you guys talking about, Panelan?”

“Ways to bring the Veil down without breaking the world and what we will have to do about those locked away.” Felicity nods in understanding. Every time they even got close to discuss what they would do with the Evanuris, Solas would lock up. She could only imagine the horror he witnessed back then. Of course, he was reluctant to let her fight them, but it would undoubtedly come down to that. 

“Solas… What can I do to help? What do you need from me?”

“I need you to stay far away from them, all of them. I need you to be safe. I need- I need you, Felicity. You do not know what they are capable of, what they will try and do to you.”

“But you know what I’m capable of. Or is my impossible magic not all that much in comparison?”

“I know you are powerful, Felicity, but they are cruel and sadistic and vindictive and spiteful. And they hate Fen’Harel. When they learn you are bound to me, they will stop at nothing to get to you, break you, _kill you!_ That. Cannot. Happen.”

“It. Won’t. It’s not like I’m some helpless maiden locked in a tower. I can fight, and I’m only going to get better. Plus, we’ve got Panelan and Adaar and Percy and Dorian and Cole and Acacia and Bull and Varric and the whole Inquisition. It’s not just me, it’s not just you. We can do this, I promise you.”

Solas just shakes his head. He knows how much she believes that it truly will work out. That with their friends and colleagues, there was no way they could fail. She just still didn’t know how destructive the Evanuris could be. But she would, just as soon as Solas could show her without breaking himself in the process.

“Solas, look at me.” Her hands frame his face, and she patiently waits until his eyes refocus on her. “You can’t let this eat you alive. We’re gonna work through this, and when we come out on the other side, I’m gonna say I told you so.”

“How can you be so positive about this?”

“I can either be positive and enjoy my life while I can and accept that it’s not going to be all sunshine and roses, or I can freak out and be depressed and let that ruin what happy moments I could have had. And I’ve done the latter, it broke me. It took me months to recover after Charlie, and I’m not going through all that work again.” 

Even just saying his name has waves of anxiety and fear and disgust and anger rolling through her, rage flaring up in Solas at the memory of what he’d seen in the Fade of that particular creature.

“So I’m gonna be happy and hopeful and positive even when everything around me is falling apart. If this really is the end, I wanna take whatever I can get before it’s gone.”

“I do not know if I-”

“I can be positive enough for the both of us, I just don’t want you worrying yourself into an early grave. And don’t try and hide it, because I can feel it when you’re all doom and gloom.”

“Grim and fatalistic are the words you’re looking for, da’asha.” Panelan provides from where sits, watching the pair with a small smile. Felicity was good for Solas, more than good, she was perfect for his rather dour friend. 

“Oh, those are good! Yes, you’re very grim and fatalistic, but you have to balance me out somehow.”

“It has its benefits.” Solas tries to grin though there is still worry in his eyes, his hands falling to her hips to emphasize just how tempting a position she was in over him.

“I see, it was all a ploy then, was it? You’re just trying to get into my bed.”

“I am already in your bed, vhen’an, I was trying to get into your-”

“Alright you two, that’s enough of that! You both need to eat.” Panelan interrupts as he jumps to his feet, pointing to the table with a flustered frown. 

It was an adorable reaction.

“What’s wrong, Panelan? I don’t think we’re doing anything that terrible.” Felicity giggles as Solas grinds her down into him, their friend turning an amusing shade of red as he runs for the door. 

“I’ll be bringing company back!” He says as he loudly slams the door behind him, Felicity and Solas breaking down in a fit of laughter. She collapses against him as she continues to giggle, and once she can breathe again, Felicity takes a few slow breaths. Solas smelled as good as always.

“Does Thedas have waffles?”

“I do not think so, at least nothing like what you are used to on Earth, I imagine. They were the grid-like pastries?”

“Yeah. I’m craving waffles and bacon and swiss cheese mushroom omelets… But it would be rude to not eat what they brought. When do you have to leave?” Solas feels her spirit sinking at the thought of his departure, and he sighs.

“Not quite yet. When he comes back with others, I will likely need to slip out.”

“Maybe you can go chill with Percy. I think you guys would get along well.”

“I fear your brother is wary of me. He is sharp; even after only a few hours, he knows I am more than a simple apostate.”

“He’s always been good at reading people. Would it be bad if he knew too?”

“That depends.”

“I thought it might. But you’re not some bad guy, you’re just… well… _super_ old.” Felicity giggles again, laughing harder at Solas’ sigh as he pinches her side.

“Thank you, da’len, I had somehow forgotten I was thousands of years older than you.”

“Just trying to be helpful. We can talk more about it once we’re back at Skyhold. If it’s all the same to you, I think I’m going to stay here in bed until I absolutely have to get up.”

“You will hear no arguments from me.”

It’s almost an hour before Panelan comes back with Claire and Acacia. The Herald would be heading out later in the day to start closing rifts in the area before moving on to the rest of Ferelden. 

“Don’t forget to grab any shards you come across. They’re a pain to find, but we need to make sure that the Venatori can’t get into that temple.”

“I know we’ll do our best. Nobody is particularly thrilled at the opportunity to stare through Tranquil skulls.”

“That’s fair, I’m kinda glad I don’t have to do it this time around. I’ll keep you updated on what goes on here, but I think it’ll be okay. They aren’t happy with how the mages handled everything, that’s obvious, but we did the right thing taking them in. Once we are able to make reparations, I think everything will smooth out. Acacia, while you’re out and about- particularly in the Storm Coast- if you could keep an eye out for any Wardens? Especially mage wardens.”

“Yeah, no problem. I was going over the plans with Bull, and we’re thinking it’ll be about a month- maybe a little more- of traveling before we hit all the places you talked about. Assuming everything goes smoothly.”

“I’ll have to talk to Josie and see when we need to be at the Winter Palace because you’ll need to be there too. Hopefully, that’s still out a ways. We’ve got a lot to deal with still regarding Varric’s friend’s friend.” Felicity pales as she thinks about Adamant and going into the Fade to face the Nightmare.

That was going to suck.

“Just keep me up to date. With any luck, we won’t have to go to Orlais and meet the Empress after all.”

“God, if only.” As much as Felicity would rather not do that particular quest, she knew there was likely no avoiding it. At least not without giving away the secret of her foreknowledge. “Could be fun though; they probably have really fancy sweets.”

“And unbelievable racism.”

“Anyone calls you knife ear, and I will start giving people knives for ears. We’ll see who’s snickering after that.”

The grin Felicity has can be described as nothing other than surprisingly feral.

“It’ll be me, I’ll be snickering.”

~~~~~

“Lissy! You here?” He calls into the room, not bothering to knock as he saunters in.

“Where else would I be? Certainly not out and about with the nobles.”

“You never know, maybe you decided to expand your horizon. Where’s your egg?”

“Solas had to get some work done, though he said he’d sneak back a little later. Also, I’m the only one who can call him an egg, so there.” Felicity beams at Percy from the pile of pillows she is reclined against on the bed. Reports and letters are scattered around her, Claire giving her some busy work to keep her from following after Solas.

“We’ll see about that.” He flops onto the bed, snickering as the letters go flying in all directions. “So, you’re a mage, huh?”

“Jealous?”

“Kind of! That’s badass. Can you do any spell you can think of?”

“Yeah! I do a lot of Skyrim and D&D, the occasional Harry Potter spell here and there. Sometimes I just picture what I wanna do in my mind, and then it happens.”

“That’s super OP.”

“It is, but I can’t keep it up as long as Acacia or Solas. He says it’s because my body didn’t age with the magic; it never got the chance to slowly get used to the growing power, so channeling too much magic through myself causes a lot of pain. And it sucks the life right outta me. Also, I’ve tried a couple spells and had some… problematic consequences to deal with. I’m working with Solas to try and find a happy medium limit I can stick with, only doing crazy feats of magic when I absolutely need to.”

“What about spells like Etherealness or Blink that would normally take a player to the Ethereal Plane? Where do you end up going? Or does nothing happen?”

“As far as Solas and I can tell, I end up in the Fade. Which, of course, given the history with Thedas and having mortals walk the Fade, is a bit of a problem.”

“Shit, yeah, that’d be… that’s a problem. You haven’t started a new Blight, have you?”

“Not that I know of?”

“Good, good. I’d be a little pissed if you did.”

“You and me both.” Felicity rolls her eyes, signing another letter and setting it in her finished stack. Accidently starting another Blight would be one of the worst possible outcomes. Breaking what remained of the Veil and giving Corypheus what he wanted would be one of the few things that would be worse than that. “So I’m actually a little hesitant to test more spells that push those limits. Including teleportation. Which sucks because it takes _forever_ to get anywhere here.”

“You get used to it eventually. Though I miss flying.”

“Next time I’m a dragon, I’ll take you up with me, I promise.” Percy loudly whoops, more of her letter scattering in his excitement. Felicity laughs, smacking him with the roll of paper she was currently trying to read while catching what she can.

“I wasn’t gonna ask, because I’m sure the line is long, but I feel like I have seniority.”

“The line is nonexistent, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“No one wants to fly?”

“Not on a dragon that they believe is a holy symbol from their Maker, no. And now I’m Inquisitor, so it puts an even bigger gap between me and them in their eyes. I’ve tried to show everyone that I’m not gonna sit on some pedestal, but Josie thinks it’s for the best I’m up there. Says people need someone to look up to, but I- I don’t wanna be that. I wanna be a friend, family, not just a symbol or icon. I shouldn’t complain…” She mumbles, glumly signing her name again before reaching for the next. Percy stops her, grabbing the next letter before she can.

“You’re allowed to complain, Lissy. You’re still a person with problems just like everyone else.”

“But I’ve got all this power and respect and shit. There are elves out there still getting beaten and killed because of their ears. There are poor people out there starving while the rich feast day in and day out.”

“You are not responsible for everyone else’s problems, Felicity! Besides, it’s not like you see all the problems and are turning a blind eye to them. You are doing everything in your power to help those people.”

“Percy, I love you, but you just found out the Inquisitor is me-”

“But I’ve heard about the Inquisition ever since I got back into Ferelden. Even before I knew it was you, I was impressed that someone other than Ellie and Ali were trying to do good for their people. I was skeptical about the whole dragon thing, but I knew your people were doing good work. Everyone I know here has nothing but praise for you and your people. You’re setting a new standard for how to act and treat people, and that’s phenomena!”

“He is right.” Felicity looks up to see Solas standing at the door, several books in hand. “I felt your heavy spirit and thought it best I come back a little early, vhen’an.”

“I’m sorry to bother-”

“You are no such thing.” Solas sets his things down before pulling over a chair to sit closer to the pair on the bed. “Hello again, Percy.”

“Solas.” They nod to each other, their eyes a little too sharp and calculating to be considered friendly, their tones far too formal.

“Don’t worry, honey, I already told him only I can call you an egg.” Just like that, the tension breaks, Solas rolling his eyes and sighing as he looks back to Felicity.

“How thoughtful.”

“I know, I’m just the best, aren’t I? Now, I gotta finish up these letters, or Claire may actually kill me. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.” Silence hangs in the air as Felicity looks back to the papers in her hand, Percy quietly thinking of a way to start a conversation with the intense man his sister was evidently married to. 

“Where are you from?”

“A small village to the north.”

“Neat.” Percy immediately noticed how he didn’t give any more details of this supposed village. “Got any family left up there?” 

“No, I am afraid there is not.”

“What’s it called? Maybe I’ve stopped by it in my travels.”

“I would be surprised if you had. I am not exaggerating when I say it is small; it is unlikely it is even on a map.”

“No, really, try me. We’ve been pretty much everywhere these past few years-” Felicity interrupts them, leaning across the bed to cover Percy’s mouth. Both men look questioningly to her, and it is only once she has their undivided attention that she talks. 

“I’m terribly sorry, but you must be- **_at least_** \- a level 15 vhen’an to access any extensive backstory, tragic or otherwise. And as that position is already filled by yours truly, you will have to be content with his mysterious aura until he wants to tell you more.”

“We’re just making small talk-” Percy mumbles past her hand, but Felicity quietly tsk’s. 

“You are interrogating him just like you did with any guy I dated, and I do not appreciate it any more now then I did back then. If he wants to talk to you about his past, that’s fine, but digging like you are is very rude. Don’t make me channel mom and start throwing pillows.”

“Fine, fine, I won’t go digging.” 

“Pinky swear?” Percy rolls his eyes but holds out his pinky anyways.

“Pinky swear. You know, the first time I tried explaining a pinky swear to Alistair, he thought I was crazy.”

“You _are_ crazy, so it’s not like he was wrong.”

“If I’m crazy, you’re absolutely insane.”

“Yeah, I am!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter, to make up for two shorter ones I guess. I think I like longer chapters more, I always feel weird trying to find the right places to end them as I write. Oh well, I'm sure one day I'll get good at it, just not today, lol. ^^
> 
> Panelan is now up too if you wanna check him out!   
>    
> <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/nolongeragameart>  
> 


	30. Chapter 30

Percy fits right in with Cole and Dorian, bouncing back and forth between the pair. Dorian was shocked to find out he and Felicity were related, the pair seeming opposites where their looks were concerned. Felicity was small and delicate, pale and golden and light. Percy was tall with broad shoulders, his warm tan skin not that far off from Dorian’s own. His hair was black, his eyes a piercing blue, and he had freckles all across his nose and cheeks. When they stand side by side, Dorian can see the similarities in their features, a similar shape in their eyes and nose. 

And both were kind, he supposed. Percy was a little more forceful about it and much more stubborn, but they were good people.

One night while Percy is teaching everyone how to play BS, Felicity steps out. It had been a busy couple of days filled with meetings and nobles and formal attire. She’s worn out, completely done with people for the day, and heads off in search of some peace and quiet.

As she sneaks through the darkened halls, almost every other sane person crawling into bed right about now, Felicity snags a bottle of wine from the kitchens. Three sips in, and she’s already feeling better, and when she stumbles upon a large empty room- the throne room- she lets out a content sigh.

As more of the wine gets drunk, Felicity starts to dance around the large room. She can’t see the throne at the far end, her glow only illuminating out a little ways from her. It doesn’t take long for magic and music to fill the room, her eyes falling shut as she belts out the lyrics.

“I get up, I get down, and I’m jumpin’ around. And the rumpus and rukus are comfortable now. Been a hell of a ride, but I’m thinkin’ it’s time to grow. Bang! Bang! Bang! So I got an apartment across from the park, put quinoa in my fridge; still, I’m not feelin’ grown. Been a hell of a ride, but I’m thinking it’s time to go. Bang! Bang! Bang! Here we go! So put your best face on, everybody. Pretend you know this song, everybody. Come hang. Let’s go out with a bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! I’m way too young to lie here forever, I’m way too old to try, so whatever. Come hang, let’s go out with a bang. Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Halfway through the first verse, Felicity stumbles over, clumsily landing on the floor. Still, she sings on, uncaring of the new position.

Felicity doesn’t see Alistair- who was out and about looking for a late-night snack- come into the large room, drawn by the sound of strange music. He pokes his head in, wondering who was using his throne room, and he bumps into a large dark body. Adaar looks down at him, almost daring him to say something about Felicity’s current inebriated state. 

But he doesn’t say anything. She looked happy enough on the ground, one hand holding the half-empty bottle of wine, the other waving in the air like a choir director. Her feet bounce from side to side in beat with the music. 

It was adorable.

Alistair walks in, sitting down on the floor next to her without a word. Felicity passes him the bottle of wine. He doesn’t think twice as he takes a long swig... and another before laying back.

“I don’t know how you do it, Ali. Dealing with all these people all the time.”

“Ellie handles most of the nobility. I’m just there to look pretty.” Her head tips to the side, her hazy eyes locked on his. He doesn’t know what she’s looking for, or even if she finds it before she’s looking away. Felicity’s hand reaches out, patting the back of his a couple times. 

“I won’t let the Blight take you and Eliora.”

“We haven’t made much progress so far, even after all this time.”

“I’ll do everything I can to help find a cure. I’ll see little royal kids running around this palace with wooden swords and mabari’s, if it’s the last thing I do. Thank you for taking care of Percy too.”

“It’s the other way round.” Alistair laughs as he thinks back to the first days of the Fifth Blight. It had been a dark time, he lost everything he had ever held close, and Alistair had found himself all alone in that darkness until Eliora finally broke through to him. He, Eliora, and Percy set out to try and do what they could to fight the Blight. As they traveled, more joined their merry little band. 

It wasn’t all sunshine and roses; a great deal of it was fighting and death and destruction. But they all kept each other sane, kept them from breaking under the weight of it all. 

Percy played a big part in that, always looking out for everyone, taking the role of the mother hen in the group.

“Has your brother always been the mother hen?”

“Oh yeah, ever since we were kids, and even to our actual mother. But when it comes to his own health- mental or physical- he’s a complete idiot.” Alistair laughs and nods at her dry tone, taking another swig of wine before passing the bottle back to Felicity. 

“What kind of music is this?”

“The best kind. It’s good music.” Cosmo Sheldrake starts to fill the room, Felicity, all too happy to cut off the conversation and sing along. “Come along, catch a Heffalump. Sit with me on a muddy clump. We’ll sing a song of days gone by. Come along now, don’t be glum. Get you gone, now, have some fun. Don’t be long, for the end is nigh. Don’t let moments pass along and waste before your eyes. March with me in the borogoves. Come with me in slithy toves, and never ask us why.”

“Makers breath, what are you singing about? What the hell is a Heffalumps?” All at once, Felicity rushes back to her feet, her glow growing brighter as the music around them shifts. 

“A Heffalump or Woozle is very confusel. A Heffalump or Woozle is very sly. They come in ones and twosels, but if they so choosels, before your eyes, you’ll see them multiply. They’re extra-ordinary, so better be wary. Because they come in every shape and size. If honey is what you covet, you’ll find that, they love it. Because they guzzle up the things you prize.”

Felicity dances around again, though it is more just hopping and spinning as she sings about Heffalumps. Her magic continues to manifest in the air, Alistair only slightly startling when there, jumping around with her, are the faint images of no doubt what she is singing about. Winnie the Pooh faintly shimmers as he runs from the Heffalumps and woozles. 

“They’re black, they’re brown, they’re up, they’re down. They’re in, they’re out, they’re all about. They’re far, they’re near, they’re gone, they’re here. They’re quick and slick, they’re insincere. Beware, beware, be a very wary bear.” Felicity takes Pooh’s hands, dancing and spinning across the room as the Heffalumps vanish, her giggles drawing a smile from the king.

Felicity continues to dance and sing, Alistair quietly standing and heading off in search of Solas. He had no doubt her Qunari guard would watch over her, but the Inquisitor would need her rest. Tomorrow was going to be a long day if today was anything to go by.

Solas is in the libraries, looking over their collection for anything having to do with the Fade or the Veil. He finds little, but more than any other place they’ve been before. 

“Ser Solas?” His head snaps up when he hears his name, but more so because of the voice saying it. King Alistair stands there dressed far more casually than the elf had ever seen him. What could he want with him so late in the night? “Your-” Alistair pauses, trying to think of a delicate way of saying ‘lover,’ but coming up empty-handed. “...Inquisitor, she seems to be-”

“Felicity?” Worry spikes in Solas, and he quickly stands, reaching out with his spirit, but finding nothing amiss with hers.

“Nothing bad, don’t worry. At least not bad by my standards. If the lords and ladies saw, they probably wouldn’t be thrilled. But they’re never thrilled. I swear some of them don’t even know how to smile-”

“Something is wrong with the Inquisitor?” Solas prompts, only barely keeping from snapping at the man and running off in search of Felicity.

“Oh, yes, well, no. She’s having a great time drinking and singing and dancing. In the throne room. Which I’m fine with; it was a good time. I just thought she should head to bed soon.”

“I see. Her magic is making the music?”

“Yes, and what strange music it was. And loud.”

“Thank you for finding me, your highness. If you’ll excuse me.” Solas quickly offers a bow when Alistair nods, rushing out of the room and making a beeline to the throne room. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Felicity and Solas were more than just colleagues. Still, Alistair also knew it was going to be hell trying to get anyone else to acknowledge that. He’ll have to talk to Eliora about doing something about that.

It takes only a few minutes to get to the throne room, Solas unsurprised to see Adaar there watching Felicity. He and Panelan hadn’t let her out of their sight for a moment beyond the times when she was in her room. She is wobbly spinning around the room with her arms thrown wide, singing loudly to the music filling the air. 

“When the news is all bad, when you’re sour and blue, when you start to get mad, you should do what I do. Tell yourself how lucky you are. When your life’s going wrong, when the fates are unkind, when you’re limping along and get kicked from behind. Tell yourself how lucky you are. Why decry a cloudy sky? An empty purse, a crazy universe? My philosophy is simply things could be worse.” Solas jumps a step forwards when Felicity trips, but she catches herself, continuing to giggle and sing and spin. “So be happy you’re here, think of life as a thrill! And when worse comes to worst- and we all know it will- thank your lucky star you’ve gotten this far! And tell yourself how lucky you are!”

“She is almost too bright.” Adaar quietly says, Solas nodding along.

“Almost.” He quietly moves closer, making sure to put himself into her path, so eventually, she will spin right into him. Solas steadies her when she finally collides with him, his heart warming at her happy gasp. 

“Solas! I missed you!” Felicity has her arms and legs wrapped around Solas in a heartbeat, clinging to him as he picks her up. “I drank wine! You should try a bottle. Ten out of ten would recommend. You always smell so good,” As if to emphasize the point, she presses her face into his shoulder and takes a deep breath. “Gimme your soap, I wanna smell good too.”

“You smell divine, vhen’an, you do not need to change.”

“I smell sweet and girly. You smell… it… it’s just really good. Why can’t I smell like that too?” Felicity pulls just far enough back to pout at him.

“I would miss your scent if you changed it. It is as addicting as you are.”

“Hmm… you’re just saying that, so I don’t steal your soap.”

“I could not lie to you, da’len, not anymore.” Felicity’s head falls back against his shoulder as Solas walks them all the way back to her room, Adaar follows a few steps behind them. “Do you believe me?”

“Course, I believe you. I was just thinking.”

“About?” Instead of an answer, Felicity turns her face just a little more to the side. Solas freezes, barely restaining any verbal reaction as he feels her teeth on his neck. He can feel her smile as she pulls back, just a hairsbreadth. 

“That!” Felicity giggles as Solas remains frozen, trying to quell the sudden desire burning within. If only they were in Skyhold, if only Adaar weren’t there, if only he could spirit her away and have his way with her. 

It would have to wait, but just how long they could hold out, he wasn’t sure. They’d both been dancing this line for a while now; it seemed it was almost time to jump across it. 

_“ Ane ir nua’ajuelan._ ” He whispers low in her ear, knowing full well she didn’t know what he was saying. Maybe if she were sober, she could work it out, Felicity had been making great strides in her elvhen studies, but as inebriated as she was now, there was no way she could piece it together. 

Felicity continues to giggle as she shivers in his arms, breathless at the rough edges of his voice. 

_“ Lasa ar’ an alas’nira aron fen’en._ ” Solas freezes at her whispered words. 

Where had she even learned such a phrase? 

But before he could try and puzzle it out, a searing wave of passion and desire slams into him from through the bond. Why did Adaar have to be here now, of all times? Only a shred of his reason remains to keep himself in line as Felicity continues to squirm in his arms, every instinct in his body screaming at him to take her against any and every surface he could find.

“Do you not wanna dance, my silly old wolf?” Felicity giggles, cutting off with a shaky moan as his hands find her ass and gives it a firm squeeze. 

“I want to do more than dance, vhen’an, as you well know. Why you tempt me like this, I will never understand.” He starts walking again, his pace quicker than before as he makes his way back to her room.

“Solas, please-”

“Do not finish that sentence, Felicity, because I will not be able to refuse.”

“I wanna-”

“You have meetings early in the morning, and I cannot promise that I will have had my fill of you before then.” Felicity whimpers, ducking her face into his shoulder and rocking her hips into his. Solas lets out a low hiss, his hands tightening on her ass once again, though this time involuntarily. “I will show you exactly what you do to me, Felicity, but I will not be held to any timetables. And I would much rather take you in our room, on our bed where I know no one would dare disturb us.”

“Fuck...!”

“Be patient, ‘ma vhen’an, and I will do just that.”

~~~~~

“I understand your concern over the mages under the Inquisitions care, but I can assure you, we are taking all the necessary precautions.” Felicity felt as if she were talking to a wall. They had gone round and round on these ridiculous subjects. This man wasn’t the first to bring up the topic of mages and the Inquisition’s treatment of them, but he would be last. Felicity was sick and tired of this. 

“Your Commander is Templar, is he overseeing their tower?”

“They aren’t in a tower, and Commander Cullen is no longer a Templar. He left the order to join the Inquisition.”

“There is no leaving the Order.” Felicity takes a deep breath, reigning in the fury quickly rising up at Arl Halsted’s words. He had mentioned many times how little faith he had in mages being able to control themselves. 

“There is, actually. And the Inquisition fully supports any who wish to follow in his footsteps.”

“My uncle was a Templar, I think I would know better than some elf.” He twists the word elf as if it would somehow hurt her. It only served to anger her further.

“That’s nice for him, but again I’m going to have to disagree. I’ve talked a great deal with Cullen regarding the Templars; we are even working on a program that will help them ease off of lyrium if they so wish it.”

“You are making them break their oaths?”

“I am not making them do anything. If they wish to leave, we are supporting them and doing our best to help them through what is a difficult and oftentimes a painful transition.”

“So mages wander Skyhold without oversight, you force Templars to leave the service of the Maker, and put those of lesser families in positions of power?” No one misses how Arl Halsted’s eyes flicker to Adaar and Panelan.

“Mages do not need more oversight than anyone else within our walls. No one is forcing Templars to stop or forsake the Maker; we do, in fact, still have a great deal of Templars under our banner, and they are welcome to remain so long as they follow the same code of conduct we hold everyone to. And as far as who holds positions of power, it is not given out to who has the longest title or most prestigious family line or god forbid anything as inane as race. People are placed in their positions based on their words and actions. Make another comment about lesser families in regards to my guards- or anyone within the Inquisition- and you’ll find out just how far I’ll go in their defense.” Magic flares in Felicity’s eyes as she leans onto the table, raising her brows in and waiting for a response. 

“Is that a threat, Inquisitor?”

“No, it’s a dare. Go ahead, see what happens. You wouldn’t be the first one on my shit list, and you won’t be the last. I have bent over backwards to try and make right what the mages caused; I have been nothing but polite even while most everyone here has done nothing but criticize and judge.” Her eyes, still flickering with angry magic, swing to the King and Queen at the head of the table. Thankfully they don’t look annoyed or angry at Felicity’s outburst.

“Your Majesties, are you satisfied with our plans for reparation?”

“We are.”

“Do you have any concerns over how I am handling my people?”

“No, we do not.” Several of the lords around the table turn an interesting shade of red, but they don’t say anything. 

“Then, with all due respect, I do not think we need to continue on with these meetings and tempt fate in regards to some of your people.” She doesn’t say names or even look back at Arl Halsted, but everyone can feel the static tingling of her magic in the air. “I do need to speak with you both regarding the Warden’s, but that can wait.”

“Inquisitor, would you care to see the kennels?” Eliora asks with a knowing smile. Felicity was over the moon when she found out they had mabari’s here. The population still wasn’t up to where it had been, but they were making progress, and Felicity was dying to see some puppies.

“Heck, yes, I would!” All at once, the menacing aura around her left, Felicity glowing as she happily jumps up from her seat. “I’ve been waiting all morning for someone to ask.” She is up and out of her seat faster than any of them thought possible, given her formal attire. Eliora and Alistair leave as well, the silent room watching the door swing shut behind them.

“An elf.” One of the men sneers, breaking the silence. 

“Was it the ears that gave it away, Bann Brecken?” One of the younger men, Arl Clark Witt, says with a grin. It had been immensely enjoyable watching Felicity tear old Edmund Halsted and others a new one. 

“Watch your tongue, boy.” He wasn’t going to give Brecken the satisfaction a reaction. It wasn’t the first time they had called him a boy; it wouldn’t be the last. He was young, in his early thirties, but he had already proven himself to the King and Queen. He managed his lands and his people with a firm but fair hand, and many had flocked to him when he was given his title. Clark’s position here was not in question, especially since his views on other races so closely echoed that of the Inquisition and the King and Queen themselves. The same couldn’t be said for some of these lords and ladies stuck in their racist ways. 

“I, for one, am interested in seeing what becomes of this Inquisition. Some institutions and practices put in place by the last one are still around today. I wonder how this one will be remembered.”

“As upstart heretics. They have already banned the Chantry from Skyhold-” Arl Halsted starts, but Clark isn’t having any of it.

“No, they haven’t. My younger sibling is a lay sister, and she arrived at Skyhold nearly a week ago. She has nothing but good things to say.”

“Arl Witt, I thought your sister ran away with one of the savages from the woods?” All at once, Clark’s face hardens. There was a lot he would put up with, a lot he would let roll off his shoulders, but insulting his family was not one of them. Arl Halsted knew this, the old man was still bitter Clark’s older sister didn’t marry into his family.

“You know full well they are still living at home. They adopted one of the orphans the Breach created. I do not think I’ve seen two happier individuals in my life. How’s that eldest son of yours? Still have an unhealthy fixation on children?” The red had yet to completely leave the old man’s face, and it only got worse at the scandalized whispers rippling through the large room.

“How dare you-”

“He barely managed to escape prosecution the last time it was brought up, your money bought his way out, and where that didn’t work, you simply beat down and banished the opposition that remained. It will not happen again. You come after me and mine, and I promise you there will be nothing left to your family name by the time I am through.” Few of them had seen the easy-going gentleman so severe, and none had doubts that he could make good on that vow.

Arl Halsted jumps to his feet, still determined to fight the losing battle, but when Clark follows suit, looming over the older man, silence fills the room. 

“Times are changing, it is long overdue, and it is for the best. If you keep this up, it won’t be just the Inquisition that has a problem with you. Good day.” He turns around and walks out before anyone can say anything in return. 

Touring the mabari kennels sounded like a fine way to spend the afternoon before finally heading back home. He missed his family and his bed and not being surrounded by assholes.

He can hear Felicity’s giggling as he gets closer, and happy little yips from the puppies she is no doubt showering with attention. As he rounds the last corner, he’s greeted with the sight of Felicity on the dirty floor- formal dress and all- rolling around with the puppies mobbing her.

“Arl Witt, come to join us?” Eliora greets him with a smile.

“It’s been a few months since I was here last; I just thought I’d see how this project was coming along.” 

“How were things after we left?”

“About the same as when you all were there. Halsted’s mouth is going to get him into trouble.” Clark growls the last sentence. It wasn’t a secret as to who started the rumors regarding Alyse and her partner, and though most know not to believe such garbage, the damage had already been done. It hurt because Clark was almost certain they were the most loving and giving women he’d ever met. 

“Are you still having trouble with those assassins?”

“No, they’ve been dealt with, but the source of them remains. Until that toxic, bitter man is gone, they will never be truly safe.”

“I’m sorry, Clark, we’re trying to get evidence, but until we can, our hands are tired.”

“I know, Ellie.” He smiles at her, not that it reaches his eyes, nodding to Alistair as he calls out his greeting from where he is on the floor next to Felicity. “On another note, she’s not what I expected.”

“From what I hear, she gets that a lot.”

“Maybe we aren’t doomed after all.” 

“Ew! Barkspawn Junior, don’t lick my face like that! You’re so slobbery!” Felicity’s shout draws all their attention as she playfully fights with one of the older pups who is determined to continue licking her face. “Alright, you wanna play?” In the blink of an eye, Felicity shifts, taking on the form of a mabari. The other dogs aren’t phased in the slightest, and they all get back to playing around and roughhousing. The three humans watching almost can’t believe their eyes.

“I haven’t seen anyone change like that since Morrigan.”

“She really was the dragon, wasn’t she…” Clark mutters. He hadn’t quite believed the stories, though he still thought Felicity to have been rightfully chosen to lead. But watching her cast so effortlessly was changing his mind. 

“Yes. Every witness we’ve asked about it says the same story. It was no illusion or mass hallucination.” For several more minutes, Felicity remains in her new form, happily bouncing around. Eventually, she notices Clark standing there, and she freezes. In another blink, she is shifted back, plopping onto the floor and looking up at him with anxious eyes. During the meetings these last days, he hadn’t been a thorn in her side like others, but still, she probably shouldn’t be doing this in front of him. 

“H-hello, um, I- how are you?” Her voice is an octave too high, worry evident in her face.

“I am doing well. I didn’t mean to interrupt your time here, Inquisitor, I just came by to see how the pups were doing.”

“No, no, you’re not interrupting or anything. I’m sorry to be causing a scene-” Barkspawn Junior jumps into her arms and knocks her over, cutting her apology short. 

“It’s good to see them so full of energy. Do you have a mabari, Inquisitor?”

“No, but my brother does. The original Barkspawn- well, his real name is Torfinn, but I’m definitely making his middle name Barkspawn.”

“Torfinn? Isn’t that the name of Ser Percival’s mabari?” Clark turns to Eliora, who nods with Alistair. “I didn’t know you two were related.” His eyes fall back to the woman fighting to sit up again, trying to find similarities in their features. He supposed they had similar eyes and impish grins. But where Felicity was light and bright, Percy was darker and brooding, not that he wasn’t just as kind and giving. 

“It’s a long story, but we finally found each other again. Do you know him well?”

“Not as well as the King or Queen, but we’ve talked over the years, sparred a few times in the tournaments. He is a gifted rogue and a skilled archer.”

“Yeah, he’s super cool.” Felicity gushes despite having never seen him fight before. “I keep trying to get him to spar with me, but he doesn’t think I can take it. Little does he know I’ve been trained by a certified badass, and I’m not too shabby myself.”

“Who have you been training with?” Clark asks with a laugh.

“Dáithí Warren.”

“The Warren’s from Kirkwall?” All joking leaves his expression, his eyes going wide. Surely it had to be another-

“Yeah, that’s the one. You know him?”

“Of him, well, them. They worked closely with the Templar’s, my father was stationed in Kirkwall for a time before the Fifth Blight, and was in awe of the Warren name and the work they did.”

“See? Pretty badass.” That was putting it lightly, but Clark couldn’t disagree. The stories his father used to tell him about his time in Kirkwall always seemed so intense when it came to his interactions with that family.

“Are you feeling up to sparring?” Clark was suddenly curious as to what this woman was capable of.

“Sure.” She readily agrees, hopping to her feet and dusting herself off. “I gotta change first, though. And get my staff.”

“Will you be using magic?”

“Oh no, it’s more of a battle staff than a mage’s staff. I won’t use any magic if you like.”

“I look forward to it. Will an hour be enough time to get ready?” Felicity snorts, and she gives a few more pets to the dogs at her feet.

“I could be ready in less than ten minutes.”

“Oh is that so?” Clark laughs, unable to believe that. His sisters weren’t overly finicky when it came to clothes and fashion and the like, but even they took some time to get ready.

“Is that doubt I hear? I could do it in less time if you wanna see.”

“Forgive me, Inquisitor, I just-” Clark blinks, and instead of the somewhat rumpled dress and fancy boots, Felicity stands there in light armor and footwraps, her wild curls tied in a messy bun at the top of her head. 

“I used magic this time, but it truly doesn’t take that long to get undressed and dressed again. I do have to go get my staff, so we will have to wait a moment.”

“I’ll go get it, da’asha. Spend a little more time with the pups while you have the chance.” Just like that, Panelan is off, fetching the staff along with a few key people who will want to watch this. Namely, Solas, Percy, and Claire. 

This was going to be fun; Panelan hoped word got around to others to come and watch what Felicity was capable of. They needed to see that even though she was bright and happy and kind and gentle, she could hold her own and would take no shit from anyone.

~~~~~

Felicity is in the middle of a cheese and wine pairing debate with Alistair when Panelan returns with her staff and a small following. Everyone else who heard about it heading for the training grounds. 

“Arl Witt, I hear you’re going to be facing my sister.” Percy cocks a brow and crosses his arms. Clark just smiles, having never seen the elf like this before. “Just be careful where you swing that sword of yours, because I don’t need to tell you what I’ll do to you if you hurt her.”

“Oh shut up, Percy.” Felicity bumps his shoulder as she rolls her eyes, taking the staff from Panelan. “You didn’t want to spar with me, you can’t get mad if someone else does.” She’s about to say more, but Solas’ spirit warms within her. Her eyes flicker around, looking for her bald elf, and spotting him off to the side. His steady blue-gray eyes are locked on her, and Maker take her; she wants to run across the room and into his arms. 

They needed to get by to Skyhold soon; this hiding business was the worst. 

“Good luck, Inquisitor.” Is all he says, respectfully bowing his head before following the others heading to the training grounds. Percy continues to give Clark crap as they walk, the men walking off for a moment to allow Clark to change into something a little more suitable.

“Seriously, it will not end well for you.”

“I don’t think you’re giving her enough credit. She faced Corypheus, after all.”

“As a dragon! Are you facing a dragon?”

“No, there will be no magic, but I still do not think you need to be worried. But if it makes you feel better, I will do my best not to purposely injure her. We will only be using training equipment, after all. It will not be hard to keep such injuries to a minimum.”

After a few minutes, Clark comes out with a sword and shield, dressed in light armor much like Felicity’s own. As they both walk out into the open area, they see the little crowd had grown into something more. Among them, Felicity sees familiar faces, Dorian and Cole standing near the edge. But among those faces are also those of several Lords and Ladies who made it clear what they thought of her leadership. Maybe this will be enough to teach them not to mess with her.

Few words are spoken, and a brief overview of some ground rules are laid out before Felicity and Clark turn to face each other.

“May the best man win.” Clark grins as he slides into a defensive stance.

“You said Inquisitor wrong.” Felicity jokes, following suit. Silence falls over the crowd as all eyes lock onto the pair. For a few heartbeats, neither one moves, waiting for the other to make the first attack. Clark’s patience breaks first, and he lunges forward, blade slicing through the air. She easily dodges out of the way, not that he expected any less, but the force behind her staff as it collides with his shield is a surprise. 

“You sure you’re ready for this?” Felicity taunts with a light laugh, and Clark shifts his posture again. This was no longer just a cat and mouse, a chance for Felicity to show everyone what she could do. This was a fight, and he was going to give it his all. 

She can sense the change in him, and effortlessly follows suit. It had been a while since she fought so seriously, but it felt good to finally work out some of the tension that had been building up since she got here.

The fight then began in earnest, both opponents silent apart from quiet grunts and their breaths as they exchange blows. It started out slow as they studied each other, trying to find a weak point. When nothing obvious showed itself, they sped up. Clark was direct in his attacks, unrelenting, sword, and shield working in perfect, well-practiced harmony. Felicity was like mist, there one moment, gone the next, always evading just in time, her attacks unconventional enough to put Clark on guard. 

Percy and the others who had yet to see Felicity fight had to admit, though she may be no formally trained warrior, she was holding her own surprisingly well. 

Minutes drag on, both of them growing tired but continuing to push on. What Felicity lacked in raw power alone, she made up for in speed and creativity, some of the odd attacks stunning Clark to the point of almost falling prey to the next. Both are covered in bruises and sweat, but still, they continue on. 

It had been a long time since someone made Clark work for victory; it was a nice change of pace.

Felicity is knocked back once again by his shield, steadying herself as she looks back at him. All she could hear was the crowd cheering, and her heart racing in her chest as time seems to slow down. Clark is lunging towards her again, but this time his face is different. She sees fear there, desperation, and instead of attacking her, he just kinda pushes her. She glances to the side, to where his terrified eyes are locked and sees several small, thin needles aimed at her.

His shield won’t raise in time, he’s going to be hit, it’ll be too close to his neck!

Time resumes as a surge of adrenaline pumps through her, and she is the one to lunge this time, her hands on his shoulder helping to pull her forward. No sooner does she pull herself up does she feel stabbing pain in her back. And a heartbeat after that, it feels like the life has been sucked out of her, the pain unreal as she seizes up. 

“No!” Clark screams, dropping the sword and shield to catch Felicity as she stumbles. But his eyes flicker up to where the attack had come from. A cloaked figure makes their way through the confused crowd, but before they get far, a bolt of lightning slams into them. A blast of icy air parts the crowd, Solas appearing in front of the figure and blasting her into the open grounds for Adaar and Panelan to deal with. 

Percy is over the wall and running across the ground with Dorian and the others, his eyes locked on where Felicity was seizing on the ground. Clark carefully rests Felicity on the dirt, spitting out curses at the long, thin needles that had pierced the back of her armor and well into her body. 

_“Felicity!”_ Solas cries as he falls to the ground next to her. He couldn’t feel her spirit, and that terrified him. “What have they done, what poison is this?!”

“Poison?” Clark’s head snaps up, looking to Solas to elaborate on that.

“She has lost all her magic, her mana, everything! Something has stripped her of all her power and then some.” Solas hisses, none of his spells helping reverse the effects that already ravaged the love of his life. 

“I know a treatment, get her to a healer. And someone get me an herbalist!” Clark barks out, scrambling up, running off towards the herb garden he knows Eliora tends to. The several assassins who had tried to take Verana from Alyse had used a similar poison. It must have been a smaller dose because she had still been able to communicate with them as it coursed through her system. Verana’s clan had encountered such substances before when they traveled north and had been working on potions and politics to reverse the effects. They weren’t perfect, but they did the job, and in cases like Verana’s, they saved lives. 

Clark just hoped it would work here as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Ane ir nua’ajuelan. - You are such a troublemaker.  
> Lasa ar’ an alas’nira aron fen’en. - Let us dance as the wolves do.
> 
> Again, my brother and I are doing our best as far as the Elvhen goes, so sorry if it's not exactly right. ^^
> 
> As always, the songs she sings are certainly not mine. I dearly love all of them, especially the last one!  
> Bang! - by AJR  
> Come Along - Cosmo Sheldrake  
> Heffalumps and Woozles - Disney  
> How Lucky You Are - Seussical the Broadway Musical


	31. Chapter 31

“Solas, you need to be by her side-”

“I cannot do anything by her side!” He roars at Panelan, who is trying to stop him from rushing after the guards who took the assassin into custody. “Her very body is rejecting all forms of magic. I cannot reach her; I cannot heal her; _I cannot feel her!”_ He chokes off on a sob, shuddering as he tries to reign it all in again. “But I can find out who sent the assassin. I can find out what she used, I can find out if there is some way to help Felicity. And I can make sure she never gets the chance to do this again.” 

“There are laws and proceedings in place to ensure she is dealt with-”

“I do not have time for your proceedings, and neither does Felicity.” Solas snarls at Claire, uncaring as she flinches at his harsh tone. In the blink of an eye, he is gone, leaving only frigid air behind in his place. 

“Do you really think this is going to kill her?” Claire asks as she stares off in the direction Solas had gone. Panelan just sighs.

“It could. Felicity is a powerful mage, her magic is ingrained within her more than most. To suddenly have that ripped away and unable to regenerate what was taken… The shock to her body may be too much.”

“Arl Witt said something about a cure, though.”

“I pray he knows one because I do not wish to see what Solas will do if she is taken from him.” Claire just nods, unable to verbalize her worry. Solas won’t be the only one raining down hellfire if Felicity is taken from this world so soon. “Come on. We shouldn’t leave Percy alone right now. He just got her back, and now he might lose her all over again.” They head back down the hall, nodding to those lining up outside the room with expression varying between worry and guilt and fury. 

Felicity lays on a cot gasping and seizing with healers bustling around her. This poison did more than ensure she could not use her own magic to heal at so high a dose. It made it so she rejected any and all magic directed at her. Her body was going into shock at the loss of her magic, and if they didn’t get a manage on it soon, she would be lost. 

“Where did Solas go?”

“To try and find a cure from the assassin.” Panelan moves to stand next to Felicity, a burst of healing magic glowing in his palm, but fizzling out when he tries to press it into her wounds. “Arl Witt still hasn’t returned?”

“No.” Adaar answers, his eyes locked on where Felicity lay. Guilt, despite the fact he wasn’t responsible, welled up. He wanted to follow after Solas. It had been several years since he used his Ben-Hassrath training, Adaar, doing his best to forget everything from those days. But for Felicity, for the Inquisition, he would gladly slide back into the man he had been. 

When the King and Queen come into the large room, all work stops for just a heartbeat as everyone waits for some sort of reaction. Nothing comes, their eyes flickering from Felicity to Percy, who is hunched over the cot, talking to Felicity, begging for her to hang in there and keep fighting. 

“I am so sor-”

“She wouldn’t want that.” Panelan interrupts as Eliora starts to bow and apologize. “This is not your fault, not anyone’s fault. Well, not anyone in this room, at least.”

~~~~~

It is only a few heartbeats before Solas catches up with the guards. The cell bars mean little to him as he phases right through them, taking hold of the assailant’s neck and slamming her into the wall. The woman’s eyes glint in the low light of the cell. Solas’ rage grows at the sick satisfaction he finds in her cold blue eyes. 

“You will get nothing from me.” She spits, cut off as Solas tightens his grip.

“I would not be so sure.” His free hand moves light lightning as he grasps the top of her head, his palm flat against her forehead. Magic surges to life and sinks into her mind, Solas’ eyes glowing as he forces his way into her consciousness. 

At the forefront of her mind is the thrill of a successful mission, dark glee at believing there was nothing they could do to save her in time. That only made Solas more determined to prove her wrong.

There were ways to search another’s mind that would leave the subject mostly unharmed, sometimes even unaware that they had been connected at all. That being said, there were also ways to make this hurt, to make this woman suffer just as much as she made Felicity suffer.

He dove in, looking for anything and everything that was tied to Felicity and the poison she had racing through her body.

It was a last-minute contract, the cloaked figure who paid for it changing who the target was last minute. Not that the assassin cared any; a kill was a kill. Better still because her new target was a young woman who everyone was watching. 

The poison was a concoction that her particular band of killers specialized in when it came to targeting mages. A small dose is enough to stop a mage from casting anything, more lethal doses keeping a target from regenerating anything that the poison took. But she had used even more poison than that; there was no way her mark could survive. Even now, she should be on the brink of death. 

There were a few treatments for the poison, some herbs to minimize the effects, but no true antidote, certainly not one the assassin had on her. And the herbs were nothing Solas had on hand nor those he could get quickly. The poison was of Tevinter origins, not created with anything Ferelden had readily available. 

Solas growled as, upon searching for more details on exactly what was in the potion and how much of it, he found nothing. Of course, she didn’t make the poison herself; that would be too easy. In fact, all Solas could discover about the poison were memories of this woman mocking those who made this poison, among many others. 

In those memories, he finds the alchemists were not the only people in her small group that she attacked verbally and otherwise. They had cut ties with her, but she had escaped before they could silence her. No longer was she working with a group, though she still masqueraded as if she were when finding work.

He would deal with the group creating such poison later; for now, he needed to finish this. 

Solas pulls himself from her mind, dropping her and letting her hit the floor. She gasps, eyes glazed over as she struggles to form words. 

“Minicia Archaria, your days are numbered, as are those of the Forsaken. If she is taken from me, I can promise you there will be no power in Thedas that will keep you from suffering at my hands in ways you cannot even imagine before I take your life.” Just like that, Solas is gone. It had taken seconds for Solas to get his information, such as it was, and he is now rushing to the gardens. 

If Arl Witt knew something to save Felicity, Solas would do whatever he could to help.

~~~~~

Clark is gone from the garden before Solas gets there, several different plants clutched in his hands. He meets the royal herbalist in the room where Felicity was fighting for her life. She had collected what the frantic Arl had requested from the storerooms. When she sees the Inquisitor laid out on the cot clearly suffering, she pauses. No one had told her she would be saving the Inquisitor today or trying to at least. 

And in front of the King and Queen no less. 

“We need to start; there isn’t much time. The alder berries and bindweed leaves have to be as fresh as possible if it’s going to help neutralize the toxins used in the poison... That’s what Verana said, at least.”

The herbalist and healers begin preparing the concoction Arl Witts described to them. They were unsure of what they were making, but as nothing else they tried helped, it really couldn’t hurt at this point. 

Elfroot and spindleweed acted as the base of the potion along with crystal grace. They would start to heal the damage that was already being done to her physical body, hopefully giving the rest of the potion time to act. Verana had said that carefully concentrating the alder berries before adding them caused it to work faster, but they didn’t have time for that. 

As quickly as they can, they create a potion, passing it off to the healers to administer as they try what they can to heal the wounds. Felicity, having long since lost the ability for conscious thought, has gone mostly catatonic on the cot, her body slowly losing the will to fight back.

“Don’t you fucking dare give up on me, Lissy!” Percy shouts, squeezing her hand tightly in his, but she could have been a mannequin for all the reaction he got. “Not after I just got you back, please, _please,_ no!”

“Percy, let them work.” Eliora comes up behind him, gently tugging on his other arm, but he fights back, shaking her off. “They are going to do all they can, but they need space to work.”

“She-” Percy is cut off as the door is kicked in, Solas rushing in and over to Felicity. His hands are shaking, and he’s just about as pale as Felicity was. “Do something! You’re a mage, help her!” Solas doesn’t even spare a glance for her brother, his anguished eyes locked on Felicity alone.

Solas feels so incredibly empty in this moment, so alone and afraid and anguished. 

So cold. 

Her spirit was ripped away from him, leaving him the way he had been before they’d been bound. But surviving now seemed impossible; he couldn’t fathom living through every single day as if this was fine even if he had been doing precisely that before Felicity.

She looked so small right now, fragile, frail. 

If this took her, he wasn’t sure what he would do, he really wasn’t.

Two of the healers help roll her onto her side so they could tip the contents of the potion into her mouth. Solas takes a step back when Panelan appears by his side, drawing him back, much like Eliora had done with Percy. All eyes remain on the young woman as the last of the thick, muddy colored liquid is poured out of the glass bottle. Solas and Panelan are both reaching out with their spirits, desperate for some reaction from Felicity. If she was going to survive this, she needed her magic back; she needed to be able to fight back against the poison. 

It takes a few minutes before even the smallest flickers of magic stir within her, but before Solas could rejoice, they all notice her already weak breathing getting that much worse. Her skin starts to gain some color back, but instead of stopping there, it just continues to worsen. One of the healers begins to take off what remained of her armor, thinking perhaps she was overheating, but it didn’t help any. 

“What is happening?” Solas asks, getting distracted from searching for her magic as he watches hives begin to appear on her skin. “What was in that potion?” He races over to the table they had prepared the concoction on, having trouble focusing as he listens to Felicity struggle to breathe. Still, he doesn’t see anything too out of the ordinary. Nothing that would cause these symptoms she was now suffering from at least.

Percy fights to get closer as the healers begin to once again race around the room. One calls out her pulse was skyrocketing; another tried to get the hives under control, while another still opened her mouth to see if there was something obstructing her airways. There was, but it wasn’t something he could so easily remove as it was her body in general that was swelling up.

“She’s having an allergic reaction- what did you give her!?” Percy tears himself away, grabbing Clark and shaking his shoulders.

“This was what saved Verana from the same type of poison; I don’t know what- this didn’t happen with her-”

“Different people are allergic to different things! What was in the potion?!”

“Elfroot, crystal grace, spindleweed, dried viburnum leaves, bindweed, alder berries, and water.” Solas rattles off as he sifts through what remained on the table.

“Ugh, let me see. You guys have different names for fucking everything.” Percy dashes across the room, knowing there wasn’t much time to spare. He’d seen Felicity go into anaphylactic shock before as little kids, and it had been bad. For a long time, he refused to let her eat any kind of pastry because he was afraid it would happen again. He was too young to realize it was one specific ingredient in the pie that had caused her to react so violently and not the whole pie. “Saskatoons!” Percy immediately recognizes the small purple berries.

“Alder berries-”

“Shut up. It doesn’t matter. She’s allergic to them; eating just a few bites of pie almost killed her as a kid! Saskatoons, bee stings, latex… a lot of things to avoid growing up, but we made it out alright. Fuck, I don’t have an EpiPen- Does she ever carry around a tube looking device from our home? Yellow with an orange side and a blue side?”

Adaar turns around and sprints out of the room, hopefully going after what Percy had described. 

“Define allergies,” Solas demands, his eyes bouncing back and forth between Felicity and Percy.

“It’s your body overreacting in response to a stimulus. It’s great when the stimulus is a virus or something, but sometimes it messes up and flips out on something normal. Don’t you guys have allergies here?” 

“No.” Solas answers for everyone in the room. 

“Perfect, just great. There is only one dose of epinephrine in an EpiPen- if this happens in the future… fuck, fuck, fuck!” Percy lashes out, his fist connecting with the wall. He ignores the shooting pain in his hand, returning to the table and barking out orders. They needed to help her breathe, or they would lose her before her guard came back.

Adaar sprints through the halls, paying no mind at the shouts and demands of the people he races past. He’d seen Felicity carrying the small tube Percy had described, always keeping it in her pocket, assuming it was some sort of totem or heirloom. He never would have guessed it was medicine. He tears into her room, tossing everything aside as he looks for it.

The moment he has it in hand, he is once again racing through the halls. She didn’t have long. Her heart was beating far too fast, and if she couldn’t breathe, he may already be too late. 

“Don’t give her more! She’s already dying from the last dose!” Adaar comes back to see Percy yelling at Clark.

“If she doesn’t start fighting off the poison and regaining her mana, she will die!” Percy looks like he’s about to start throwing punches and not to walls, but before he can do something he’ll regret, Adaar spins him around and presses the EpiPen into his hand. 

“Thank fuck!” Percy pulls away, tearing the cap off as he reaches for her leg, thankful they had gotten her out of her armor already. Hold the leg steady, jab the EpiPen in, hold it for ten seconds. Steady the leg, jab the pen, hold. He repeats again and again in his head as he takes a deep breath. 

He always hated doing this.

Percy stabs the pen down, hearing the click, and everyone in the room is silent as he counts out loud.

By the time he pulls the pen away, she is already breathing better, and Percy thanks every god he can think of. One problem down, one to go as there was still the poison in her system. 

“Make the potion without the saskatoons.”

“The bindweed won’t be as effective-”

“I don’t care! No one will be giving her any more fucking berries!” Clark is about to fight him on the subject but falls silent as the sound of work at the table catches everyone’s attention. Solas works silently as he prepares the same potion, mixing in a little bit of his magic into the thick substance before passing it off to the healers. 

Slowly but surely, her heart starts to beat semi normally again, and the swelling in her throat goes down, much of the red draining from her skin. The hives seemed less intense, and though they lingered still, the healers were not as worried about those as they were about everything else. Hives they could handle, the unexpected swelling of her airways they could not.

When her magic began to slowly but steadily return to her body, Solas felt tears welling up. She still had a long way to go to fight off the poison, but if she grew a little stronger, if she could draw strength from his spirit, Felicity could beat this. 

Relief floods everyone in the room when, hours later, she cracks open her eyes.

Her mouth felt like a desert; her stomach was so far past queasy it was a little concerning, and though she felt a sickly pressure fighting against her spirit, it was better than it had been the moment the poison had entered her system. The first person she sees leaning over her is Solas, Percy’s head popping up from where he’d been sitting near her cot.

“Did I win?” She rasps with a tired little smile.

“As you went down and he didn’t, I’m going to have to say no, you didn’t win, Lissy.” Percy rolls his eyes, playfully smacking her shoulder. 

“Well damn, that sucks. Why do I feel like a dumpster fire?”

“You were poisoned, vhen’an, with a large dose of a particular concoction created to use against mages specifically. It not only acted as a smite or silence, draining you of all mana and magic- though it was far more thorough than anything a Templar would be able to manage- it also took away your ability to regenerate your magic, your spirit. The shock nearly killed you, and the side effects of the potion used to treat the poison almost pushed you over the edge.”

“They used saskatoons.” Percy supplied when Felicity looks confused, understanding, and worry washing over her expression.

“You guys found my EpiPen?”

“Yeah, we were almost too late. Why didn’t you ever tell people about your allergies?”

“It never came up. I don’t think they have allergies here, at least nothing like they did back on Earth. They just assume I don’t like bees. Shit, now I don’t have any epinephrine.”

“Solas thinks he might be able to come up with something.” Felicity’s eyes flicker back to Solas.

“We can look into it further back at Skyhold. For now, you need rest.”

“Not gonna fight you on that.” She sighs, her eyes sliding shut again. In moments Felicity is unconscious again, the tension leaving Solas in a huff as he leans over, resting his head on the edge of the cot. Her impossible warmth was growing ever stronger within him, returning to where it had been before this whole mess. He, and the other healers, still had trouble casting spells to help her healing, the poison lingering on and keeping their magic out. But, with any luck at all, Felicity should be able to do that herself in time. None of the wounds were truly life-threatening, the poison was the worst of it, but Solas still didn’t want her suffering.

“You said it was the berries, bees, and latex? Any of these will produce this same reaction from her body?”

“Yeah, well, no. With latex, it was always more just bad hives; it didn’t usually get this bad. Bee stings though, those were like this. I heard some Red Jenny’s had been using bees in jars lately-”

“We will have to have a word with Sera regarding her favored tactic. What is latex?”

“Um, like rubber kinda? I’m not entirely certain how it’s made, but I haven’t come across anything like it since I’ve been here, so we don’t really have to worry about it. I hope.”

“What is epinephrine?”

“Adrenaline. That’s what the EpiPen is, a shot of adrenaline to relax the airways and tighten blood vessels back to where they ought to be.”

“There is none left in the device?”

“There might be trace amounts, but not much. Why?”

“We will need to work on recreating it, or at least something that does the same thing. I am not going to wait for the next time this happens to start looking for a way to help her. I will search the Fade tonight to see if there are any memories of such an illness.” Solas turns his gaze back to where Felicity was sleeping, her face still pinched up in discomfort.

This couldn’t happen again.

~~~~~

“S-Solas?” Felicity whimpers, her entire body in such acute agony that it had pulled her from her coma-like slumber. In a heartbeat, Solas is awake, sitting upright in the chair he had been sleeping in next to her cot. The healers hadn’t wanted to release her from their care just yet, and looking at her now, Solas couldn’t have agreed more. 

Every inch of her skin he could see was covered in angry red hives, and he quickly had to mute the sensations coming through the bond. Burning pain, itchy beyond all reason, terror at what was happening to her body, all of it would have distracted him from what he needed to be doing.

Solas immediately tried healing her with magic, unsurprised when it still wouldn’t work past the barrier the lingering poison had created. Instead, his magic shifts, icy cold air carefully settling against her heated skin.

“Oh, Felicity…”

“I-I hate hives.” She sniffles, each breath causing her to suffer as her body moves. Even just the slight shifting of her shirt and the blanket against her skin felt like knives raking through her body. 

“I cannot heal you past the poison yet.”

“Ju-just m-make it s-st-stop.” She sobs, her plea breaking his heart.

Solas would do what he could.

His magic lifts her into the air, carefully removing the blanket and the nightgown they had changed her into for the night. Felicity is left in her smalls, hovering in the air surrounded by Solas’ cool magic. It soothes the angry red hives that indeed covered her entire body. 

“Sleep, my love.” Solas whispers, opening the bond and sending calm waves of magic through. The poison in her system dulled the effects, but enough made it through, and soon Felicity is drifting back to sleep. Once he is sure she is soundly asleep, he quietly calls out for the pair he knows is waiting just outside the door.

“Llewellyn, if you could go find Percy, I imagine he would like to know what is happening. He may also know a way to help. Adaar, we are going to need the healers; my magic will not last forever. This is not a treatment for the hives; it is merely making it bearable for her.” Just like that, both men head off in different directions, Solas turning back into the room to watch over Felicity.

Unsurprisingly Percy and Panelan make it back to the room before Adaar and the healers, Felicity’s brother looking disheveled and dressed only in a loose pair of trousers. 

“Hives?” Solas nods to Percy’s quiet question. Curses of all kinds shortly followed after, though he was careful not to wake his sister. “What’s with the magic show?”

“It is limiting contact between her skin and that which would cause her to suffer. It also allows my magic to cool the air around her, soothing what I can without having to heal her.”

“Smart. You guys have hives here, right? A way to treat them too?”

“We do, though I do not know if they will work. She is suffering from these as a reaction from the first potion, correct?” When Percy nods, Solas sighs. “As it is her body overreacting and not a physical outside source causing the irritation on the skin, I do not know if any of the treatments will be effective. They may temporarily cause the hives to leave, but the fact of the matter is what remains of the potion is still within her. It may be a day or two before it is flushed from her system.”

“This is not something she can just deal with for a day or two.”

“No, and even if it were, I would not wish for her to try and bear it.”

The healers finally arrive, startled by the magic in the room, but quickly examining her burning skin and jumping into action. The two elderly women start mixing all manner of potions, poultices, and salves, carefully treating the levitating woman, but nothing worked.

When the door swings open again, all eyes snap to it, many in the room reaching for weapons as they didn’t expect anyone else so late at night. But instead of another attacker, at the door is Cole pulling a sleepy Dorian behind him.

“He can help.” Just like that, Cole is gone, leaving a yawning Dorian for them all to stare at. He rubs more sleep from his eyes as he shuffles into the room.

“What is it I am helping with, precisely? Cole just babbled about Felix the whole way here… Kaffas!” Dorian is wide awake in moments, rushing forward to get a better look at Felicity. Every part of her he could see was covered in hives, her usually soft pale skin now an angry red. 

Dorian doesn’t waste any time talking, turning to the tables, and starting to furiously mix herbs and bits of other potions. At one point, a spell forms around the glass bottle he had the start of his potion in, vibrant purple energy surrounding it as lightning passed around and through the mixture. With a cork in place, it began to spin faster and faster, not that Dorian spared it a glance. Instead, he was scribbling down a list of herbs he would need fresh from where the herbalist kept them. 

“Get these.” He shoves the list into the hands of the third healer to walk in looking somewhat sleep-deprived, the young man turning right back around and heading off to wake the herbalist. He had only just fallen asleep, having spent the last few hours delivering a baby, but it seemed it would be one of those nights. 

“What are you making?” Percy inched closer to where Dorian continued to work, careful to avoid the electrified bottle still spinning.

“Felix used to get hives and blister sort of like this when he would be in the sun too long as a boy. Alexius thought to merely keep him inside, but that was outrageous, so I worked on creating something to help. Took two years to perfect it, but it meant I got to drag him along when I would cause trouble, so it was worth it in the end. Though, admittedly, the hives were never this bad.”

“Sunburns and sun allergies, that’s a thing here, but not regular allergies?”

“Allergies? What, pray tell, is that?”

“I’ll explain later, it’s a complicated subject, and you’ve got more important things to work on right now.” Dorian just grunted and continued to work on the second part of the potion. Solas watched, amazed at what the Tevinter mage was doing. People gave him shit for his flamboyant personality and his country of origin, but Dorian knew what he was doing when it came to magic. He was more than his good looks and scathing sarcasm, more than just a Tevinter mage. He rivaled Solas when it came to inquisitive minds and the desire to know, and Solas knew without a doubt that Dorian was capable of a great deal more than what he showed everyone here.

Solas supposed they were similar in that regard as well.

The herbalist comes into the room nearly half an hour later, all manner of herbs in a small basket.

“Syllis went into town to get the last one. We cannot grow fresh tulsi here- Ferelden is the precisely wrong environment for it to thrive in- but a few of the merchants have dried tulsi leaves used in herbal teas that will hopefully suffice.”

“It will have to. Start combining the elfroot extract with equal parts…” Solas attention is pulled from Dorian as he feels Felicity’s spirit shifting. She had finally regained enough strength to start fighting the poison in earnest, but she would need all the help she could get.

“I must focus, keep her up.” He quietly says to Panelan as Solas sits back down in his chair. Panelan’s eyes flash warm orange for a moment as he takes over the spell, letting Solas focus everything on Felicity. Adaar had taken his position back at the door when there was nothing else for him to do to help. The two elderly healers carefully watch as Dorian and the herbalist work, Percy bouncing back and forth between Felicity and Dorian. 

By the time Syllis comes back with a small pouch of the dried herb, Dorian is just about finished. He quickly turns the leaves into a fine powder, adding it to the mixture that had been continuously spinning for the last ten minutes. After he combines them thoroughly, he pours it into the bowl of paste the herbalist had been preparing at his instruction.

“A thin layer over the affected skin should do the trick. Luckily, our patient is a small woman.” He passes the watery paste off to the healers, not feeling comfortable applying it himself. As they get to work, Felicity wakes, whimpering as they brush the substance over her skin. It took a minute before it began to numb the area and heal the hives, and that minute was hell as her entire body cried out for an end to the pain. 

“Shh, vhen’an, they are just applying the medicine.”

“H-hurts…!”

“I know it does, but it will help. Do you trust me?” Felicity nods as another sob is pulled from her. “Do you trust Dorian?” Again she nods, and Solas leans a little closer with a smile. “Then you must trust that everything will be okay, Felicity. Your lovely Dorian made the medicine himself.”

“Her lovely Dorian, is it?” Percy teases the Tevinter mage, who has a blush tinting his cheeks.

“I’m quite sure I have no idea what they are talking about.” He sputters, Panelan chuckling along with Percy. It was rare to catch Dorian off guard, rare to see genuine reactions like this.

“I wa-wanna sleep again.” Felicity mumbles as the majority of her body grows numb. Solas leans down, kissing her forehead, another wave of his magic cooling her skin.

“Go ahead.”

“Don’t let them be- be mean to him.”

“I will allow no such thing. Rest now, da’len.” Solas once again helps her to drift off, gentle pulses of his spirit helping to strengthen her own as it continues to push back against the poison. “Thank you, Dorian.” He quietly sighs as he watches the hives already begin to disperse. 

“You’re welcome. Dare I ask what brought all this on?”

“Come on; I’ll try and explain allergies.” Percy pulls Dorian off to the side of the large room, quietly explaining what he knew and answering what questions he could. The fact of the matter was that even though he knew more than most about allergies, he was no expert.

~~~~~

The music is loud enough that Felicity can feel the bass in her chest. A red solo cup half full of lord only knows what kind of alcohol sloshes in her hands as she dances in the crowded room. This was undoubtedly her favorite part, tipsy but not drunk, everything pleasantly tingly as she moves with abandon. 

All inhibitions were thrown to the wind after the first glass, and it was only downhill from there. 

The jostling of the crowd around her doesn’t phase her as it usually would sober, and she knows she has done her fair share of shoving her way through the people tonight. The reason she was here at all was that Charlie had said she needed to get out more. Percy’s funeral had left Felicity feeling empty, and she had remained holed up inside almost all day every day since.

“Come on; I’ve got some friends that are dying to meet you.” “It’ll be fun once you get there.” “Stop moping all the time; it’s seriously depressing.” “You’ve just gotta move on. You’re becoming such a buzz kill.”

He’d been pestering her about going to parties again; she figured if she went to one, he would get it out of his system, and she could go back to her brooding. 

It wasn’t bad, as far as parties go. The crowd is a little older than she’s used to, more 30’s than 20’s, but she knew Charlie ran with a different crowd. Percy had said he was dangerous, that she should keep her distance, but Charlie had charmed her. After they started going out, that changed. He was less charming and more belligerent, but he would have his sweet moments. Everyone was like that, she would tell herself. She was mean and angry sometimes too, that didn’t make her a bad person; Charlie just spent more time on the mean side than the sweet side.

A hand grabs her upper arm in a vice-like grip, Felicity startling as she turns around. Charlie was there, something was off with him, but she shook it off and smiled. 

“Hey! I really love the music here-”

“Come on, my friends wanna meet you.” Her smile falters as he pays absolutely no mind to her words, just like always. Her chest tightness with anxiety as he starts to pull her through the crowd. “Wait here, I’ll go get them.”

Charlie leaves her in the middle of one of the many back rooms. The music is louder here if that was even possible, and the room itself is darker. There’s a different vibe here than in the previous room. Back there, it had been drunken fun, light and bubbly and loud. Here the atmosphere was oppressive, smothering her and dragging her mind out of its tipsy state. 

Felicity turns, looking around for Charlie. He wasn’t exactly the epitome of safety, but he was a familiar face in this place. Her anxiety continued to grow and grow as she looks, the sound of her blood rushing past her ears drowning out the loud music. Eventually, she sees him arguing with two very large, very sketchy looking guys. The fact that Charlie himself looked a little scared and anxious only added to her fear. 

She takes a stumbling step back, but instead of an exit, she runs into a solid body. Felicity spins around, her whole body starting to shake as she looks up into the face of a man the size of a mountain. He leers down at her, speaking, but she can’t hear a word he says over her hyperventilation. 

There was not a single part of her that wanted to be here any longer. She needed to get out, she needed to go home, she needed help.

Someone, please help!

~~~~~

Solas is half-conscious as he slouches back in the chair. Felicity was still asleep, her body destroying the last of the poison within. Everyone else had made their way back to bed eventually, leaving just him and Felicity in the silent room. As he gets closer and closer to the Fade, he feels a strange tug on his spirit. It was Felicity, but something felt off. Maybe because the poison yet lingered, maybe because she was in the Fade and he was not, Solas didn’t know. All he knew was that he needed to find her because something was very wrong.

In the blink of an eye, he is standing in the Fade, reaching for Felicity’s dreaming self. A weird tinge surrounded the bubble of her dream, one Solas wasn’t used to. Then again, he’s not used to finding her dreams like this. When they travel the Fade usually, he is there first and draws her to him. She had said before lucid dreams were rare for her if he wasn’t there to free her unconscious mind. 

Maybe this had something to do with her strange dreams she would have some night when Solas wasn’t there to make her conscious of her dreams?

Either way, it didn’t matter right now as Solas carefully peered into the dreamscape.

~~~~~

Get out.

Get out now.

Get out fast.

The leering stranger reaches out for her, a sickly aura clinging to him as he wraps his fingers around her arm. Felicity tears herself away and starts rushing through the crowd. 

**Faster!**

Her heart skips beats as it races in her chest. Felicity spins back around, eyes scanning the room for someone who could- would- help her.

Off in the far corner, she sees just what she needs, a man leaning against the wall that looks absolutely disgusted by his soundings. He practically oozes danger, and the closer she gets, the more she can see why that is. He’s wearing some kind of armor, shiny and lovely and deadly all at once. His blue eyes are sharp and cold, missing nothing as he looks over the crowd. 

Felicity trips as she closes the distance, falling against him with a breathless yelp. Her hands find purchase on his armor, one resting against the surprisingly warm metal, the other tightly gripping the thick fur he has slung over one shoulder. The entire oppressive room seems to fall silent, every bit of her focus condensing in the small area around them. 

The dangerous stranger stops breathing, eyes narrowing as he looks down. He opens his mouth to rip her a new one, to verbally smite this woman who dared to cling to him, but Felicity beats him to it.

“Please help!” She whimpers, not daring to move and meet his gaze as she waits for an answer. “I-I don’t wanna be here, but they- they don’t want me to leave. I’m scared.” 

When he doesn’t answer, Felicity finally looks up to see his eyes are locked on a handful of men trying to push their way through the crowd to them. He’s handsome now that she can see more than just his scary aura. There are freckles dotting his face, his eyes a beautiful mix of blues and grays, and his short dark auburn hair braided back away from his face.

“Please-” She doesn’t get the chance to beg any more as the stranger shifts, pulling her into his side and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. 

“They will not touch you.” Felicity shudders, the power in his voice alone all at once putting her at ease. She leans against him, trying to keep her legs from collapsing, her cheek now pressed into the soft fur. “Your name?”

“Felicity.” He nods once before starting to move, his steady strength keeping her upright when all she wants to do is crumple.

Solas stands on the edges of the dream, shocked by what he sees. It wasn’t the party and atmosphere that stunned him; it wasn’t even the behavior of Charlie and those he called friends. He’d long known that her past lover- and he used that term oh so loosely here- was the worst kind of scum imaginable. 

What Solas is shocked by is that the person Felicity went running to, who she was clinging to for safety, was a very irritated image of himself at the height of his power. An angry young man who was fed up with the lies and hatred the Evanuris were feeding everyone. An image of himself before they broke him- before they took all he held dear.

How did she know what he looked like? Or was it merely the Fade shaping this and providing her with that which she couldn’t possibly create. She didn’t seem to recognize that it was him; of course, she also couldn’t tell she was dreaming. For all intents and purposes, she was back on earth at a party that was quickly heading south. 

“Seems you’ve made a mistake, that’s our girl.” The pair is stopped by three older men, the same ones Charlie had been talking to earlier. Felicity feels sick to her stomach when they say ‘our.’ She was no one’s but her own, and she was certainly not going to be shared between these assholes.

“Step aside.” Again, power crackles in the stranger's words, silencing the room. The men they face may have been larger as far as muscle mass went, but they didn’t hold even a fraction of the deadly intent that her armored savior did. 

“You’re makin’ a mistake, son.”

“Step. Aside.” There was an air of finality in his tone; this would be the only warning they got. Clearly, this stranger was not in the business of repeating himself ad nauseam to those who were willfully stupid. 

“Seems like we need to teach this freak a lesson.” Felicity should feel terrified, not only because these men were about to start a fight with her and the man she dragged into this, but also because the odds were not in their favor. Three on one was never good, but instead of fear, instead of anxiety and dread, all she feels is safe.

All three men take a step forward, the biggest had his eyes on her stranger, the other two looking at Felicity with hungry eyes. They didn’t want to fight; they just needed enough time to pry their prize away from the arms of her savior.

That single step is all the chance they get, a blast of blue magic knocking them- and everyone else around the pair- back several paces. Curses are spit as the men get their bearings again, but Felicity and her stranger are across the room by that time. She blinks, shaking her head a little, unsure of how they got here so quickly. As she shifts back, turning to look behind them because it went silent far too quickly, her stranger stops her.

“Do not look back.” Felicity swallows hard but nods, turning back to the front and focusing on making her legs work. They are out of the building equally as fast, and as soon as it vanishes, Felicity falls to the ground with a sob. 

Solas steps through the barrier of the dream and towards Felicity, the dream version of himself turning to greet him.

“There was no time to wait for you to answer her call.” The image of Fen’Harel shimmers and fades, leaving only a faintly glowing spirit in its wake.

“Thank you for helping her. You are?”

“I am Honor.” Solas nods; it makes sense that it would be drawn to Felicity, especially given the nature of her dream. Honor was something those men clearly lacked. “You must watch over her more carefully, Dread Wolf. You are not the only Dreamer who covets her light, though you are the only one to bask in it thus far. We have taken to guarding her as best we can, but her dreams are not always a part of the Fade.”

“Who is we?”

“Wisdom, Compassion, Faith- all those drawn to her oddly bright light in hopes of preserving it.”

“I have not seen you lingering near her.”

“For all your knowledge and wisdom, you do not know and see all, Dread Wolf.” Indignation flares, tinting the Fade around Solas before it quickly vanishes. It was right; he did not know all; he learned that lesson the hard way after creating the Veil. “You have grown since we last met.” 

“Dare I ask when that was?”

“Shortly before your fall. Andruil was trying to bind me into her service, you stopped her. You were an angry, brash, reckless young man, you were hurting. Wisdom had said I should visit you and see for myself the change, but I had no desire to meet the man I showed your other half.” Solas just nods, not remembering the exact memory where he did as Honor said, but he believed it happened. Andruil was always trying to bind that which she could not and should not control.

“What did you mean when you said her dreams were not part of the Fade?”

“We can speak of it another time; she needs the one she originally called for.” They both turn back to where Felicity had fallen, a pang of guilt in Solas’ chest. He came here to help, and here he was getting sidetracked trying to learn. Solas would scold himself later, for now, Honor was right, Felicity needed him.

She sits there, sniffling and sobbing, looking up at Solas and Honor with confused eyes.

“S-Solas?”

“Shh, ‘ma vhen’an, you are safe.” He watched her carefully as he sat on the ground in front of her, Solas knowing the exact moment it clicked in her mind that they were in the Fade, that it had been a dream. 

“It was so real!” She lunges for him with another heart-wrenching sob, Solas easily catching her and pulling her close.

“I know, Felicity, I know. But you are safe here, you are safe with me.”

“T-that night I didn’t want- I didn’t want to go with them. I f-found the scariest looking girl I could, and she walked out with me and made sure I got into the cab okay. That was the last time I saw Charlie before he- before it- I should have listened to Percy!”

“Did you recognize me? Is that why you went over?”

“That was you?”

“In my younger days. I was not always so calm and collected.” Honor shimmers again, once again taking on the visage of young, angry Solas. Felicity stares for a moment before grinning.

“I guess it is you. You look different with hair.” Her laughter is watery as the tears continue to fall. “Who’re you?” Honor changes back and gives her a small nod.

“I am Honor.” Felicity stares at it, studying the shifting seafoam green magic that made up his body. 

“I’ve seen you before. In some of my other dreams. Haven’t I?”

“You have.”

“Thank you for all of it.” Honor just shakes its head before turning and walking away, pausing at the edges of her dream.

“You would do well to head by words, Dread Wolf.” Solas gives the spirit a stiff nod, making a note to seek out the spirit another night to see what it knew in regards to Felicity’s dreams and these Dreamers who covet her light. The reminder irritated Solas, though; he was no child in need of reprimands or reminders on how to care for that which he loved. 

“What words?”

“It made a comment about other Dreamers that covet your light.”

“They- They can’t get in my dreams, though, right?”

“I can.”

“Well, yeah, but you’re a Fade expert, and I know you and- and-!” The downward spiral of hyperventilation takes hold of Felicity fast, and Solas hugs her closer, trying to calm her down. 

“There are ways to keep them out, spells to protect your dreams, techniques I can teach you. You will not be unprotected; I will not allow it. If I must stand vigil over your dreams every night, then so be it.”

“I miss just normal dreams! Where you couldn’t physically hurt yourself, where you didn’t need to worry about dreamers and demons and stupid shit! I’m so tired!” Felicity sobs and it breaks Solas’ heart to see her like this. Any other time and she probably would have worked through this like it was any other issue that came up, but so much had happened this past week. So much stress was piled high on her shoulders; this was just the one that tipped the scale.

“I know you are, vhen’an. Rest, I will keep watch.” The Fade easily bends to Solas’ will, the pair now deep in a memory of his forest. Another flicker on his magic has Felicity drifting off in his arms, a massive invisible barrier surrounding them.

She wasn’t the only one that was tired of all this fighting.


	32. Chapter 32

Solas wakes to the sound of Percy quietly talking with Dorian. Both men had come to check on Felicity, a little disheartened that the hives yet remained, but they were far less severe than they had been that night. 

“The King and Queen are doing all they can to try and track down who placed the contract, but it seems like the assassin doesn’t even truly know who’s been paying her.”

“She used to be a part of the Forsaken.” Both men look to where Solas is sitting up, though it is only Dorian who recognizes the name.

“Well, there’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. The Magisterium drove them into the ground after several, shall we say, unsightly contracts. A few of the magisters even turned to the Crows to deal with the assassins. You are sure she was a part of them?”

“I am.”

“That explains how she had the poison. If anyone was going to have it, it makes sense that it would be someone in Tevinter where all those in power were mages.” Percy crosses his arms over his chest, wishing Zevran had come with him instead of going to Skyhold. Maybe he would know something about this woman and those she came from. 

“Dorian?” The mage’s eyes focus back on the present, flickering to Solas, who sounded too serious.

“...Yes?”

“How common are Dreamers in Tevinter?”

“Somniari? Not too common, and they are not usually open about their abilities. Why?”

“A spirit said I was not the only Dreamer who ‘coveted Felicity’s light.’ I was wondering if the practice of walking the Fade was perhaps more common in places where magic is not so restricted.”

“Many of my countrymen are more focused on who can make the biggest fireball or ‘master’ the most blood magic. The Fade- though studied- is not a popular school of magic in Tevinter either.”

“Back up, what do you mean a spirit told you that? Why would you believe what a demon says?” Solas heaves a sigh at Percy’s questions, rolling his eyes as Dorian not so subtly motions for Percy to stop.

“The _spirit_ saved your sister from a nightmare of a particularly unsavory human she used to know. She didn’t know she was dreaming, and she was terrified of the men taking her with the intention of passing her around like little more than a toy. If it hadn’t been for Honor, she would have lived through that experience. It might have been a dream, but it still would have broken her.”

“Where were you?” Percy fires back defensively, but he wishes he hadn’t because Solas snaps right back.

“Awake, making sure the hives did not return and that she kept breathing! By the time I felt her call, it was too late.”

“What human? One we know?” Dorian feels fury bubbling up, more than willing to go find whoever it was and show them what lightning tastes like.

“No, at least not you, Dorian. Though you might recall, Percy, one Charles Forsythe, and his unsavory friends.” Dawning flashes on Percy’s face as curses were spat out. He remembered Charlie well, though he wished he’d never have met that particular scum bag. Percy had tried to warn Felicity away from him, but Charlie had already sunken his claws into her. He’s heard rumors about what Charlie’s friends did, and now he had to picture Felicity in place of those faceless women. He sees her broken and bloody at their feet in his mind’s eye, sees his baby sister crying all alone because both he and their mom were gone.

Without another word, he turns and walks out, making a beeline for the training yard. He needed to get this anger out of his system before seeing her again; he didn’t want to bring up those dark memories. If she wanted to share it with him, she would, he wouldn’t press the subject.

“There is no way to get to their Earth?”

“Not that I have found, no. As I am still not entirely sure how they got here, it is hard to even begin looking.”

“Do let me know if you figure it out.” Solas sees a similar hatred and anger in Dorian’s gray eyes that he knows is in him as well.

“I think there will be a line when it comes to dealing with the scum of that world.”

“You’ll find I’m a patient man, Solas, I can wait my turn.” With a mirthless smile, Dorian walks over to the same table as last night and begins mixing ingredients for another batch of medicine for Felicity. “Percy was explaining more about allergies, but I do not truly think that was what Felix had. His constitution was always weaker; it wasn’t just the sun that had that effect on him; that is just what got the blisters and hives going the worst. But nothing like what Felicity had last night.”

“It is a concern that those with Corypheus will learn of this weakness.”

“Indeed. Though as I hear it, the King and Queen have made those who do know of this incident aware of what will happen if this gets out.”

“We need to get back to Skyhold; she needs some rest, some time away from these chattering nobles.”

“Well, I didn’t think we chattered that much.” Solas turns to see Arl Witt standing in the doorway with a tired smile. He hadn’t slept a wink, worrying if Felicity would make it through, if she would survive. “We bickered and argued far more.”

“I never had the chance to thank you for the antidote.”

“For all the good it did.” Clark rubs the back of his neck, and Solas immediately thinks of their Commander. “She is better now?”

“Yes. Her magic is returning, her mana recovering slowly but surely. So long she is given time to recover in peace, she should make a full recovery.” Solas smooths the tips of his fingers over her furrowed brow, sparks of magic relaxing her in an instant. “As I am no longer blocked when I try and heal what damage I can, I can help ensure there are no unexpected complications.”

“Thank the Maker.” Clark’s shoulders slump as he lets out a heavy sigh of relief. 

There was hope for this world yet.

~~~~~

“Shouldn’t she wake up?” Alistair asks as he sits with Percy. The young man had come looking for him earlier, needed to work through something. He hadn’t gotten all the details, but Alistair knew enough to know that Felicity had been through far more than she deserved.

“She suffered massive trauma not only to her magic but her body as well when her magic was ripped away. And after all that, she had to deal with her body’s reaction to the antidote. Felicity is merely resting, this is what she should be doing.” Solas rattled off, having said the same to the healers and Clark and Dorian and Claire and Adaar and the various others from the Inquisition that stopped by to visit. 

“I know, but it’s been three days. Ellie’s been through a lot, and the longest she’s been out for is a day and a half.” Solas wants to snap, wants to tear Alistair and everyone else questioning him to shreds. He may look calm and collected on the outside, but on the inside, he is worrying and stressing and berating himself for letting any of this happen. 

He had had just about enough.

“Let it be, Solas knows what he’s doing.” Percy had been somber since learning a fraction of what his sister had gone through before coming to Thedas. He was also one of the only ones who took Solas at his word and didn’t question her unconscious state, something Solas was eternally grateful for. 

“I just think that having a healer look her over-”

“Enough, Ali.” Percy shakes his head, cutting off his friend, knowing that if Alistair does not quiet down, Solas was going to lose his shit. “We’ve got almost everything ready to go; when she wakes, we can make our way back to Skyhold.”

“Good. You will be joining us?”

“Yeah. Ellie has to stay here for a while anyway, our efforts to find a cure are going to be put on hold for a while.”

“Felicity was going to discuss it with you, but she wanted to use the Inquisition to help research a cure for the Blight. The Inquisition, as it is not directly a part of any country, has more reach than one small group of travelers.”

“That night she was in the throne room, she swore she wouldn’t let the Blight take Ellie and I, that she would see kids running through these halls if it was the last thing she did.” Alistair trails off, his voice soft as his mind wanders. It was the one thing he and Ellie wanted most, and it was, of course, not possible because of the Taint they both carried. 

“That sounds like Lissy.” 

Silence hangs in the air after that, Alistair eventually taking his leave. Percy finally looks away from Felicity, studying Solas. He looked tired, and though he wasn’t as open about his worry, Percy knew this was eating away at him. 

“Have you slept since all this happened?”

“No, I have not. She cannot wake up until her body and magic have recovered, if they wake her sooner, she will only suffer more.”

“Go on, you need a break, I can watch her. If you see her in the Fade, tell her hey for me.”

“I would rather-”

“Solas, buddy, you gotta take care of yourself too. I’ll make sure no one does anything. The first thing she sees when she wakes up shouldn’t be her exhausted husband.” Solas wants to argue some more, but looking at Percy, he can see the same stubborn spark in him that he sees in Felicity.

“Thank you.” Solas quietly says, politely bowing his head before slowly standing. His muscles ache from having remained in that chair for the last few days. 

“Did Percy finally convince you to rest?” He rolls his eyes at Panelan’s question, only giving his friend a small nod before making his way to his room. He would rather have slept by Felicity’s side as he had grown used to her being there. It was hard sleeping alone. 

Solas is almost asleep before he hits the mattress, wanting to find Felicity in the Fade, but knowing that he too needed some actual rest. So instead of going off in search, he simply relaxed, letting his mind wander as he falls into a deeper sleep. 

That’s how Panelan finds him nearly half a day later, sleeping like the dead, not even under the covers or changed out of his clothes. Felicity had finally woken, though she was fairly out of it still. But even as out of it as she was, she was already asking for Solas.

Panelan wanted to let Solas rest some more, but he knew that there were few things in this world worse than the wrath of his oldest friend. 

“Solas?” He calls from across the room, having learned the hard way not to shake Solas awake. It made sense, though, Panelan reacted in much the same way when pulled abruptly from his sleep. “Solas, she’s awake and asking for you.”

When there isn’t any reaction from Solas, Panelan carefully reaches out with his spirit, a little surprised to find Solas was on the verge of falling into Uthenera. This whole incident clearly took more of a toll on him than he let on. 

It would take a moment to draw him out of his rest, Panelan only hoped the others wouldn’t coming looking for them while he worked. 

Thankfully, Panelan has peace and quiet to work in as he casts his magic. It’s not a complicated spell to wake someone in Uthenera up; it just took a great deal of magic and patience. He is lucky that Solas was just close to the edge and not actually in stasis separated from the world.

“...Panelan?”

“Welcome back.” Panelan relaxes as Solas sits up, smiling at the groggy look he had. It was rare for Solas not to be aware of his surroundings and on guard; even when he was with Felicity, he had walls up. 

“What- Felicity?”

“Awake and waiting.” In an instant, Solas is jumping to his feet and out the door, Panelan quietly laughing as he follows after. When his feet don’t carry him fast enough, Solas Fade Steps the rest of the way. 

Felicity is sitting mostly upright on the cot, her back supported by a number of pillows. A cup of water is held in her hands, and the healers are all pestering her with questions. She answers what she can, but her mind is foggy, everything still out of touch. The only thing she was certain of was that she wanted Solas. 

When the cool air from his Fade Step fills the room, Felicity looks up, smiling up to him.

“Solas!” Felicity lets go of the cup, reaching out for him, Percy’s quick reflexes alone keeping the water from spilling all over her lap. Another small Fade Step has him at her bedside, and Solas falls to his knees, pulling her into a tight embrace. 

“You were worried, you silly egg.”

“Did you expect me not to?”

“No, I knew you would, I just wished you wouldn’t have suffered through it alone. I felt you stressing out while I slept, I tried to wake up sooner, but it wouldn’t work.”

“For once, you should focus on yourself, da’len.”

“I will worry about whoever I want, whenever I want, so there.” Felicity’s eyes drift shut as she feels his spirit stirring within for the first time since all of this happened. She hadn’t known how badly she missed it until she woke up and it wasn’t there, not really. If this was what Solas had been feeling this whole time, she couldn’t even imagine how hard it must have been.

“Don’t hog all her attention.” Percy playfully chides Solas as he slides his chair a little closer to the bed. Solas wasn’t the only one trapped with his dark thoughts in this silent room as Felicity slept, and it had taken its toll on him as well. “Lissy, I was talking with Claire, and apparently you have a stern letter from one Dáithí Warren stating he already told you he was too old to be worrying like this. He should be getting here any day now, along with a few more guards for the trip back.”

“You guys are a bunch of worrywarts.” Felicity shakes her head, pressing a kiss to the side of Solas’ neck before pulling back. “Come on, Solas, get up here. I’ve got plenty of pillows to spare. I don’t feel like sitting apart right now.”

~~~~~

They are packed up in record time, everyone with the Inquisition ready to leave the moment Felicity is back on her feet. There is a brief meeting between her and the King and Queen. Both of them are grateful for her offer of help regarding the Blight and the search for a cure. 

Dáithí came in through the gates shortly after Percy had passed along the message to Felicity, and he made a beeline to the healers quarters the guards directed him to. A weight is lifted from his shoulders when he sees Felicity standing there joking with Solas, and the young man he assumes is her brother. Both men freeze as he walks up, Felicity’s back facing Dáithí, but when she notices them both looking at something behind her, she too freezes.

“He’s right behind me, isn’t he?” Both nod, Solas smirking, but Percy studies the human, trying to get a read on him. Dáithí crossed his arms, waiting expectantly for Felicity to turn around. “Do you think he would accept ‘it really wasn’t my fault this time’ for an excuse?”

“I do not think you need excuses, vhen’an.”

“It really wasn’t my fault,” Felicity mutters anyways as she turns around, timidly looking up at Dáithí. “I was doing real good staying safe and not fucking anything up… I thought. Evidently not as well as I had hoped, but still! I followed all of Claire and Josephine’s orders, I didn’t snack at midnight, I didn’t slide down the halls in socks, I didn’t-” Felicity cuts off as Dáithí pulls her into a tight hug.

“I don’t blame you, da’ean, I just worry.” Felicity tears up as she returns the hug just as fiercely. 

“It was so scary.” She sniffles, and both Solas and Percy feel a pang in their chest. She had been worried over them, trying so hard to act as if everything was fine, but it made sense that she was scared. “I thought I was gonna die.” Dáithí hugs her a little tighter, quietly shushing her as she starts to cry in earnest.

Felicity felt as if she were a little girl again, clinging to her mom’s legs sobbing over a skinned knee. She felt safe and secure here with Dáithí, in a different way than what she felt with Solas. There wasn’t one that was better than the other, one she loved more, they were equally perfect, and she needed both desperately. 

“I wanna go home.”

“You are not that only one; I wanna see the majestic keep you all describe.” Percy pipes up as Felicity takes a step back, wiping away the tears with her sleeves. “You must be Dáithí Warren.”

“I am.”

“I hear I have you to thank for her training. To be honest, she’s better than I thought she would be. Sports were never really your thing growing up.” Percy chuckles as he playfully bumps shoulders with her, Felicity retaliating with an elbow to the ribs. “P.E. was always your most hated subject, am I wrong?”

“No, but still, you don’t have to be a dick.” Felicity laughs at Dáithí’s shocked expression at her language. “You were shit at math, so there.”

“No one uses all that crap once they grow up-”

“No one uses an 8 minute miles or badminton, either!”

“You have to admit that gym is more important than math here.”

“I have to do no such thing! Besides, I’ve gotten pretty damn good! I bet I could kick your ass!”

“Oh, I’d like to see you try, Lissy.” Dáithí watches the siblings playfully bicker back and forth, thinking back to his own siblings. They hadn’t had a typical upbringing, what with the Templars taking them in as children and training them, but they did what they could to stay together. 

“When we get back to Skyhold, I’ll do more than try. I’ll do you proud, Dáithí.” Felicity beams up at him, tear-stained cheeks, red eyes, and all. 

“I am already proud.” Her grin only grows, and before anyone else can add anything mushy, Dáithí turns to Claire. “Is everything ready?”

“Yes. The carts are loaded, the people packed, and the King and Queen have been notified of our upcoming departure.”

“Good, the extra guards Cullen sent with me are waiting by the gates. Is there anything else you need to do before we leave, Inquisitor?”

“No, I’m more than ready to go. Denerim and Ferelden are nice and all, but I like Skyhold more.” Felicity moves back to Solas’ side, leaning against him with a sigh as her spirit tucks away into his. She needed it, but it was more for Solas. The separation, even as small a distance as a few feet, made Solas’ chest wrench uncomfortably. 

Eliora and Alistair are waiting for them with a gaggle of nobles to bid them farewell. It didn’t escape Felicity’s notice that several of the more vocally negative lords and ladies were not present. She hoped it was simply because they were being petty and not because they had anything to do with the attack that nearly killed her.

Solas would see them burnt to the ground for their transgressions, and Felicity didn’t want to be the start of a war. 

The plan was to only stop for short rests during the night and ride straight through the days. If they kept up a decent pace, they should be back to Skyhold within a day or two if they’re lucky. 

The extra guards added an intimidating aura to their traveling band. They seemed to be wearing more armor than Felicity thought they normally did, or maybe it was just fancier. Either way, if someone tried to mess with them, Felicity would seriously have to question their mental state because they did not look like an easy target.

Felicity doesn’t mind being trapped in the small cart again. It had slowly driven her stir crazy on the way there, but she needed some quiet time with Solas. A large part of the trip is spent napping, most of the rest of it was Felicity catching up with Percy and talking with Dáithí.

Cole would periodically pop in with cryptic messages and wildflowers. Dorian makes sure to check on her each time they stop to make sure she doesn’t need any more medicine for the hives. All that remained from her allergic reaction were a few persistent spots of hives; otherwise, she was recovering well.

~~~~~

There was an overwhelming number of people coming up to talk to her once she returned. People are glad she’s okay, that she’s back, that she wasn’t mad at Ferelden as a whole for the actions of some people. Evidently, when news of the assassination attempt came in, some of the people were worried that Felicity would take this as how Ferelden felt towards the Inquisition. They worried this was the start of a larger conflict with the nation, which Felicity thought was ridiculous. There was no way she would punish an entire nation of people for the actions of a few assholes. 

There was originally going to be a feast for when she returned, a welcome back party of sorts, but she was in no mood to entertain. 

Advisors, assistants, runners, and everyone in between bombard her as she tried to unpack. She’s refolding the same shirt for the fourth time when she’s interrupted yet again. With a wordless huff, she throws the shirt on the floor, her magic exploding out around her and transporting her away before the door is even opened. 

Solas, having been unpacking his own things, looks up when he feels her magic in the air, only catching the tail end of her spell before she’s gone. He stalks towards the door with a low growl, ripping it open to see a Chantry sister standing there. It was for the best Felicity had left; no doubt, this would have sent her into a tizzy. 

“The Inquisitor is not here.” The woman with her nose in the air looks at him, clearly not believing a word he said.

“I was informed she was here by your superiors-”

“You were misinformed; she is not here.” She opens her mouth to argue with Solas some more when Panelan comes walking up to them.

“Where did she go?”

“Follow the trail of her magic, she did not go far.” Panelan is gone just like that, Solas turning his attention back to the woman who looked like she ate something particularly sour. That look only intensifies when Adaar comes walking up, looking as imposing as ever in his heavy armor. “The Inquisitor is not here.”

“Then why are you?” She fires back, and Solas is honestly impressed he didn’t turn her to stone right then and there. 

“That is none of your concern.” Solas steps back into the room, Adaar follows him in before slamming the door shut in the sisters face. 

“Felicity?”

“Needed some quiet. Panelan is going after her.” Solas stomps back to his pack so he can finish unpacking. He couldn’t blame Felicity for needing a moment; it had been almost nonstop questions and demands since she got back. 

Felicity appears on the battlements, in one of the crumbling towers, one of the few that had yet to be fixed. She had staked out this little hiding place shortly after Claire found her last one. The cool air is a welcome distraction to keep her mind from spinning out of control, and just as she is beginning to calm down, she hears someone clearing their throat behind her.

All at once, Felicity freezes, wondering what exactly she’s fucked up now, and ever so slowly, she turns around. 

Sitting on the ground with plates of food in front of them sits Adria Hawke and Fenris.

“You’re here!” Fenris reaches back for his sword, wary eyes on Felicity, who starts to glow as excited happiness replaces irritation, his free arm moving in front of Hawke to protect her against this stranger who magically appeared before them. “No, no, no, I’m not- it- I- Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in. I’m Felicity, Inquisitor Felicity Maria Pennel.” Felicity bow politely to the pair, hoping that her introduction was enough to set Fenris at ease.

She didn’t want to lose any body parts any time soon. 

“You owe me ten sovereigns, I told you Varric was telling the truth.”

“Oh gosh, what has he been saying about me?” Felicity giggles as she moves closer, Fenris relaxing just a smidgen as Hawke grins. 

“Surprisingly, all good things. You’d think you were the Maker’s bride herself with the shining review he’s given you.”

“No wonder you didn’t believe him!” Fenris’ eyes never leave Felicity as she plops onto the ground in front of them. Just because she looked like sunshine incarnate didn’t mean she acted like it.

“You could have just knocked.” Both Hawke and Fenris are confused when Felicity’s smile just grows, but she couldn’t help it. His voice sounded so much better in person. 

“I didn’t know you guys were here. This is where I hide when I don’t wanna have meetings with noble pricks or when I just need a moment of peace. Did Varric have you guys hide here?”

“He said it wouldn’t be a good idea if everyone knew we were here.”

“That’s an understatement.” Cassandra was going to be livid when she found out, Felicity would have to keep an eye out so she could mediate as best she could. “Was everything okay with your buddies in Tevinter?”

“They are not ‘buddies.’” Fenris damn near growls, but Hawke laughs and nods.

“Yeah, we got it worked out. It was nothing a little death and dismemberment couldn’t solve.”

“A regular Tuesday then.” Minutes tick by as Felicity and Hawke joke back and forth, their bubbly personalities clicking together just right. Fenris never once loses his scowl; it, in fact, gets worse as Felicity cracks jokes about mages and their abilities. When the door to the broken tower starts to creek open, Fenris is up from the ground, lunging at the door with one arm, the other drawing his blade.

Panelan feels a strange tickle of magic in the air as he opens the door to Felicity’s hiding place, but it only takes a fraction of a second to know that it wasn’t Felicity. A dagger appears in hand as the other conjures his own type of barrier. It was less a shield and more of a repelling attack that was concentrated around his palm. It materializes just in time as a large blade comes sweeping through the door.

Panelan easily knocks it to the side, pressing forward with a blade of his own. There are shouts from the others in the room, but he doesn’t spare them a glance as he pins the man he can now recognize as Fenris to the crumbling wall. Fenris tries to fight back, but before they can get into it any further, Felicity rushes up to them.

“Calm down!” She scolds Fenris, jabbing a finger at him threateningly as she pulls Panelan back. He goes willingly, so it’s not like she really needs to try, Hawke, stepping between them to keep Fenris from following. “Fucking hell…” She shakes her head, looking over Panelan carefully. “Are you okay?”

“I am. Are you?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good.” The tension is still strung out tight through Panelan’s body as he stares at Fenris. “What the fuck was that about, buddy? You can’t just go around attacking people-”

“We’re still a little high strung from Tevinter,” Hawke mumbles to Felicity before quietly talking to Fenris. 

“I mean, yeah, I guess that’s fair. Come on, we need to get you guys an actual room, staying here would drive anyone crazy.” Felicity turns to walk out the door, motioning for them to follow, but Panelan stops her. “What is it? Something wrong?”

“You suddenly strolling around Skyhold with the Champion would cause a stir. That being said, I am not going to leave you here with them.”

“They aren’t going to do anything to me. And even if they were, I can handle myself. We can wait if you wanna go get Josie-”

“I am not leaving, da’asha. Once Solas gets here, then I will go find the ambassador.” Hawke winces at the sharp tone of Panelan’s voice, leaning into Fenris, trying to calm him down. It had been a stressful couple of weeks with attacks coming from all sides, it made Fenris even more jumpy than normal.

“How is he gonna know-” Felicity doesn’t even finish her question before a gust of frigid wind is filling the room; Solas stands there in the blink of an eye. When the flicker of magic came from Panelan to have him join them, Solas had dropped everything, fearing the worst. 

He looks warily back and forth between Panelan and Fenris, noticing the tense atmosphere as he moves to stand next to Felicity. 

“Vhen’an?” 

“We’re fine; things just got a little out of hand. They shouldn’t have to hide up here; it’s not going to help anything. Llewellyn, can you go talk to Josie now?” Panelan and Solas share a quick look before he nods, hurrying out of the room and towards Josephine’s office. “Solas, have you met the Champion and Fenris yet?”

“No.” His voice is clipped, sharp eyes locked on the still angry elf next to the wall.

“Okay, enough of that. It was a misunderstanding, that’s all. I’m not going to have everyone pissy at everyone else over nothing.”

“Your safety is not nothing-”

“I **am** safe! And even if I weren’t, I know how to handle myself. Please let it go, I just…” Felicity groans as she cuts herself off, unsure of what she really wants. She was just so tired, she felt so out of sorts still. Before she knows it, tears are trailing down her cheeks.

“Felicity?” Solas turns her towards him, his spirit gently warming within her, trying to comfort her. “My love, what is wrong?”

“I don’t wanna fight.”

“We are not fighting. Given what has happened recently, we need to be careful, even with those you wish to trust. This is not because he is taking anything personally or is lashing out for the fun of it. If he sees someone- anyone- as a threat to you, he is supposed to deal with it. It is Llewellyn’s job to keep you safe, Adaar was only barely dissuaded from following after you as well.”

“But Fenris-”

“Vhen’an, it does not matter who. If I were to pose a threat, Llewellyn would react the same way.”

“I don’t wanna suspect everyone! My friends and coworkers and- and- you and-!”

“Shh, da’len, you do not need to suspect everyone, that is Llewellyn and Adaar’s job. You just need to be you- bright, happy, bubbly you. And when they do something, you need to trust that they are doing what is best for you. Do you trust them?” Felicity nods tearfully, Solas finding her once again adorable with her pouty lips even if he wished she would never need to cry. 

“Of course I do.”

“Then there is nothing for you to worry about. Now, come here, you are freezing.” Solas opens up his arms, Felicity immediately stepping into the embrace and sighing at the warmth she finds there. Solas looks over at the pair watching them, his eyes flashing with precise intent. It wasn’t threatening, but there was a warning there, and for a brief moment, both Hawke and Fenris wondered how someone like Felicity was with someone so intense. Then again, Hawke was with Fenris, so they supposed they didn’t have too much room to judge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a completely unrelated note from my story, I just figured out I could/ how to change the AO3 site skin, and it's the best thing ever! ^.^ I should go exploring this website some more, who knows what I'll find.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... fair warning, this chapter takes- umm *cough* takes a spicy turn.  
> >///<

With a suitable amount of sneaking, Hawke and Fenris are shown to a room in the far back of the keep, Felicity sending a message to Varric to let him know where his friends had gone if he goes looking only to find them missing. Panelan shows back up at the tower with Adaar, both of them joining the entourage as they sneak through the keep. 

Once they are in the room, Felicity bids them farewell, giving them time to settle in and hopefully relax a little. The moment the door is shut, Felicity pulls Panelan off to the side, ducking into one of the spare rooms before giving him a tight hug, Adaar and Solas not even getting the chance to follow them in.

“I’m sorry for arguing with you about it. I just… I don’t wanna see the bad in everyone.”

“I know, it’s not exactly my favorite thing to do either, but I will. It’s my duty to protect you, both because you are Inquisitor and my friend, but also because you are Solas’ wife. The wife of the man who saved my brother and me when he didn’t have to, when the rest of his people were content in killing us.”

“Wait, his people? You’re different people? I thought you were both elves, like the ancient kind.”

“I see he hasn’t quite explained everything. We are both elves, but a different kind, I suppose.”

“Like high elves and wood elves?”

“Yes? I have never heard of such elves, but it is something similar, I imagine.”

“You look the same, though.”

“That’s the point, da’asha, no one in this age or most of the previous ages remembers my people ever walked Thedas.” 

Panelan shimmers, his fluffy hair and tan skin and green eyes all vanishing, though his clothes remain the same. It was as if he turned into a crystal statue, his body taking on a faceted form that was, for the most part, crystal clear. There were cloudy parts; his hands, in particular, had a warm orange color, more vibrant at his fingertips and fading as it climbed up his arms.

“We were the Dun’himelan, shapeshifters. Able to take on any animal form we had seen and studied before. Solas, though a First Born Elvhen, was capable of taking on different animal forms as well, though his he didn’t need to see and study first. He is the one who showed me how to take on the form of a Hart.”

“You’re beautiful!” Felicity takes a quick step forward, hands raising to gently touch his face. The crystal beneath her fingertips is just as warm as his skin had been, though it does not shift and squish as his cheeks would have in his other body. Panelan smiles at the awe on her face. It had been a long time since he let himself return to his normal form; it was nice to have someone appreciate it instead of hating him on sight.

“Thank you, da’asha. Solas taught Thelris and I how to appear as one of the Elvhen after the Great Wars, a useful trick to know after waking up all these years later. I don’t think people would have taken this form very well.”

“...Why did the other elves want to kill you?”

“Because we were different, because we had power they didn’t. Solas can explain more of it to you, more of the history. But I owe him more than I can even begin to say; that is why I take this job very seriously.”

“I’ll try not to make any more problems for you.”

“You will do no such thing because you already don’t cause any problems. Now, enough moping, I heard that Josie got a shipment of chocolate from Antiva, and that’s the good stuff. What do you say we go raid the kitchens for a snack?”

“Oh shit, yes! I’ve been waiting forever for it to get here; I saw it on the order list before we left for Denerim. Come on!” They burst back out the door, unsurprised to see that Solas and Adaar had both waited for them to come out. She takes Solas' hand and drags him along as she and Panelan race through the halls laughing as they go. 

It seemed that the elderly lady who seems to run the kitchens had already set aside a chunk of the chocolate just for Felicity. They offer, somewhat unwillingly, to get some for the others, but Felicity quickly shakes her head. She would share her sizable chunk. 

“Are there any frilly cakes around?”

“I’m sure I could find some, hold on just a minute, dearie.”

“Vhen’an, you do not need to-”

“It’s more for me. If you have a cake, I don’t have to share my chocolate.” Felicity giggles as he rolls his eyes.

“What if I want both?”

“Then I’ll share, but you gotta give me a bite of your cake too.”

“A fair trade.” Solas kisses her temple, immediately supporting her weight when she leans into him. 

“We should probably tell Cassandra outright instead of letting her find out about Hawke from rumors. She’s going to be mad enough as is.”

“She did not take the news well in your game?”

“Far from it. There was a cutscene where she is literally chasing Varric around, trying to wring his neck. I always kinda had to side with Varric on his choice. He was just trying to protect his friends; they had been through enough. We still probably shouldn’t tell her while he’s in the same room, though.”

“I think that would be wise.” The woman comes back with a plate full of all manner of sweet treats, several of the frilly cakes sitting in the center of the sugary heaven. 

“Oh, wow! Thank you!” Felicity’s eyes light up as she looks over their haul, the cook smiling fondly as she watches the unrestrained joy on their Inquisitor’s face.

“You are quite welcome. I figured you’d need a bit more if you’re going to share. Now go dig in; it’s time to start dinner prep.” She shoos them all out of the kitchens, Felicity carrying the plate reverently as they make their way to the gardens.

It’s not hard to find a nice spot to sit in the quickly fading light, the garden blooming with all manner of plants and flowers. Solas had said the magic of Skyhold helped the plants prosper despite the cold temperature, especially those surrounding the main keep. Down in the valley on the edges of the city, it was surprisingly warm, but still, the magic helped. Soon they would be able to be self-sufficient for the most part, which would not only cut out a massive chunk of the Inquisitions spending, but it also helped them provide jobs and homes for people flocking to their banner.

“Adaar, you gotta try this!” Felicity holds one of the creampuff-like pasties out to him, but he shakes his head. He stood there looking a little out of place in the gardens as they all sat on the ground. “It’s good, I promise.” Still, he shakes his head.

“I don’t like sweets.”

“Really? What kind of food do you like to snack on?”

“I don’t snack.”

“Well, what do you like to eat?”

“It doesn’t-”

“-matter?” Felicity finishes for him, rolling her eyes when he nods again. “We’re gonna have to work on that, Adaar, get you some hobbies or something. What do you do when you’re not watching me? Stare at the wall?”

“I saw him whittling, da’asha. It was a very lifelike figure of a snake, not unlike Mr. Squiggles.” Panelan supplies, unaffected by the severe look Adaar shoots at him. 

“Really? Wow, that’s so cool! Can you teach me?”

“I’m not that skilled; he is exaggerating.” 

“Dáithí’s been teaching me how to make my own staff, kinda like his, but he’s not very good at animals, and I wanna add some little ones onto my staff. I want a dragon and a wolf and an eagle and a snake. Maybe some fish and seaweed and stuff. He’s helping me with the section I want to look like the night sky at the top right now. Please? Pretty please?” Adaar sighs but eventually nods. “Yes! Thank you! We don’t have to do it on your time off either; you can just show me while we sit in meetings or something. At least that way, I’m doing something beyond doodling as Josephine deals with the nobles.”

“We’ll see.”

The rest of their impromptu picnic is spent between Felicity and Panelan playfully arguing over who gets the last puff, only to have Solas eat it while they play many, many games of rock paper scissors. He’s smug as he waits for them to realize it’s gone, laughing when Felicity tackles him to the ground demanding that he owes her. She had won fair and square after nearly 37 ties only to find the treat already gone.

“You snooze, you lose, is that not what you always tell me, ‘ma fenorian?”

“That doesn’t count when rock paper scissors applies to the situation! Percy! Tell him I’m right!” Felicity calls out to her brother, who’s walking by talking with Dorian, a stack of books in both of their arms.

“Felicity is right!” He calls back, keeping on his original path with the Tevninter mage, who could only snicker. Felicity turns around to Solas with an ‘I told you so’ expression.

“See? Everyone knows it.”

“Your adoring brother is hardly everyone, da’len.”

“What do you think, Llewellyn?”

“I think you are always right, da’asha, even when you are not.” With another ‘I told you so’ expression, Felicity gestures at the smug young elf who nearly busted a gut when Felicity full on tackled Solas. 

“However, can I repay you, vhen’an?” Solas purrs, trying another tactic to throw Felicity off, but to his utter surprise, she just beams at him.

“You have to grow out your hair!”

“How is that comparable to a stolen sweet?”

“It isn’t, but you never said it had to be. You just asked how you could repay me, and that’s how I’ve decided I want to be repaid. It was so nice of you to offer.” 

“And if I refuse?”

“I’ll think of something else.” Felicity shrugs casually as she settles on his lap as he sits back up. “If you really don’t want to, I’m not going to force you. But I do think you’d look good, well, you always look good, but I think you’d look even better.”

“And you accuse me of having a silver tongue.”

“You do, don’t even act like you don’t. It just happens to be one of the many reasons I love you.” Solas hums in quiet acknowledgment, only barely suppressing the shudder as he feels her spirit warms his.

“You two are so gross.” Panelan declares, dramatically covering his eyes.

“Oh, don’t be such a baby, Llewellyn.” Felicity giggles, making a show of loudly kissing Solas’ cheek before standing up and exploring the plants around them, looking for the prettiest one she could find to add to her collection of pressed flowers.

~~~~~

It’s another crazy two days before Felicity’s schedule returns to any sort of normalcy. Cassandra is furious, as was expected, but it doesn’t take long for Leliana to calm her down. Letters arrived from many of the nobles of Ferelden promising aid in the coming months, a few from the King and Queen regarding the Wardens and a cure for the Blight and the help they wanted to send.

Though he never apologizes outright for his extreme behavior, Fenris does relax after having someplace a sight more secure than a crumbling tower to stay in. 

Once things calm down a little, even with plans being made to join Hawke and head to Crestwood, Felicity finally finishes her recovery. Now that she’s back in Skyhold, she has a little more control over her schedule than she did in Denerim. It’s easy to let Josie know she’s going to take a little time for herself and to only bother her if it was truly an emergency. 

Josie told her to enjoy the time, and Felicity planned on doing just that. She had kept it a secret from Solas, planning on surprising him that night. 

It was high time she did something about all this built-up sexual tension.

Solas quietly came into the room late that night, a pounding pain behind his eyes from pushing himself a little too far in his studies. Trying to balance it with his duties to the Inquisition, the mages he now teaches of the Fade, and his own people who are out in the world is an impossible task on the best of days. On days like this, he wanted to slip into the Fade and never come out.

Each stair is another piece of his patience gone, and he curses himself for ever having thought they were a good idea. Who had time to walk up this many stairs every day? 

_ Finally,  _ he reaches the top, opening the door with a grateful sigh. Felicity would no doubt be sleeping by now in one of her strange positions. A fond smile tugs at his lips, but he freezes when he smells a hint of sweet wine in the air. There is low light in the room from scattered candles, something that was out of character for his vhen’an. She always went on and on about how impractical having actual flames for light was, how many things could go wrong. 

It all clicks together when he rounds the last corner, and he can see the scene set before him.

There are indeed many candles around the room, some close to burning out. Their furniture had been moved around, Felicity’s favorite couch shifted more into the middle of the room, a small table next to it. A bottle of wine is there along with two glasses, one having already been used. 

Laying curled up on the couch in one of his sweaters and nothing else is Felicity. She is fast asleep, her cheeks dusted with pink from the wine she drank. Still, not much of the bottle was missing, so he knew she didn’t pass out drunk. Felicity had been working feverishly lately, though she never said why she was so desperate to get her work done, and now he doesn’t need to wonder why anymore.

She mumbles his name in her sleep, sighing as she rolls over, arms reaching out for him and finding nothing but air. All at once, every tense thought flew from his mind, his heart-melting at the sight of her. When she doesn’t find anything to cling to, Felicity wakes, albeit slowly. Solas carefully moves closer, not wanting to startle her, smiling when her eyes finally focus on him.

With a quiet groan, she stretches, his sweater riding up dangerously as she rises.

“You’re late, you know. I had this whole plan set out for seducing you.”

“I have never regretted my studies more than I do in this moment.” Oh, what he wouldn’t have given to see her try and seduce him- as if he needed any convincing in the first place. She giggles, rubbing the last of the sleep from her eyes as he takes a seat next to her. 

The moment he is seated, she moves, straddling his hips and pressing every inch of her body into his as she kisses him. He groans, his hands immediately finding purchase on her hips to make sure she couldn’t pull away.

“No time like the present,” Felicity mumbles against him as she shifts back, Solas nearly losing his control then and there when he sees a wicked smirk tugging at her lips, lips he would gladly kiss until the world faded away around them. 

“Indeed.” The only warning she gets is the tingle of his magic in the air, and then they are on the bed, Solas propped up over her. Somewhere in that blur of movement, he’s lost his shirt, though his pants yet remained as did the sweater she had borrowed. She could wear it, for now, he did so love seeing her in it. But the thought of her smooth skin beneath it just waiting for him to explore tempted him to tear it off. 

With a slow breath, he pulls every dark desire in, controlling himself because this wouldn’t be some rough, quick dalliance. He would take his time, he would show her exactly what she did to him, he would drive her to distraction just like she did to him every day. 

“You are so beautiful,” He whispers, grazing his lips over her cheek to take her mouth and claim it as his own. He kisses her, and for a while, it is everything. He worries her lip between his teeth while his fingers draw slow circles over her sides, slowly moving ever higher- the tender touch of his tongue coaxing hers to dance with his.

She had started this fully intending on repaying him for the almost mind-numbing pleasure he’s given her in the carriage, but just like that, he has her reduced to a trembling mess more than willing to give him anything and everything. Felicity runs her hands over his shoulders and then down his back. As he moves, his muscles shift beneath her palm, sleek and strong. Surprisingly strong given his mage status. When he chose to move her, he did so with next to no effort. 

She- not so secretly- loved that about him.

Desperate for more, she lifts her head up from the pillow. Solas kisses her with endless patience, running his hand down her body to her thighs and skimming his fingers back up. A single fingertip follows the line of her torso down to trace light circles over her vibrant tattoo before dipping down even further between her thighs.

Quiet sighs slip from Felicity with each new and gentle touch. She felt loved, desired, so special beneath his focused attention. “Solas,” She moans on a wave of sensation. He lifts his head for a heartbeat and smiles down at her. 

“I am going to taste every inch of your skin.” His mouth fell to work the length of her throat with tender scrapes of teeth and slick, teasing tongue. 

When he leans back, pulling her hands up, she is a little confused. At least until he turns them over, kissing her palm before working his way down. His lips trail down to her wrist and forearm, his teeth scraping against her heated skin every time she thought it couldn’t get better.

“Solas...” she whispered.

“Felicity?” 

“I love you,” She sighed out in bliss and lets her eyes flutter shut.

“Oh, vhen’an,” He whispered against her lips. “I know.”

Felicity doesn’t bother to open her eyes when she feels him moving over her. The things he made her feel were so potent and powerful all she wanted to do was lose herself in them, bask in the attention Solas was all too willing to provide.

His lips and tongue find their way to her neck, his hands to her waist as his knees settled between her legs. She can feel him against her, thick and hard and heavy, as he leans down to bring his mouth towards her chest. When his tongue returns to her skin, though, she cries out in surprise.

“Is something wrong, my love?” He chuckles.

“You’re cheating with magic again.” She mutters, clutching at his arms when his magic skated over her skin with his tongue a second time.

“I am not cheating, but would you like me to stop?” Felicity barely managed to open her eyes and shoot him an embarrassed, heated look before shaking her head. Solas smirked and leaned down to taste her again, somewhere a little more sensitive this time. Felicity was left breathless as he showered her breasts with his undivided attention, the sweater she wore vanishing in a shimmer of magic. Solas couldn’t be bothered to properly remove it right now, but he also knew she wouldn’t be happy come morning if he tore the offending garment from her body.

“Solas-!” She moans and presses her head back into the pillows. He hums in response but continues to lick and lap and suck the tight peak between his lips where, somehow, he pooled his magic, overwhelming her with a multitude of sensations—hot, cold, and everything in between.

“Oh god-” She stutters, finding it hard to breathe as he sucked and licked her skin. Her belly clenched, muscles spasming, so ready for more than just his teasing. “Solas, please…”

“Please what, fenorian?” He asked as he kissed a path down her body, waiting patiently as she tried to organize her thoughts.

“I need you.” She pants, trying to draw him up.

“I know.” He murmurs against her skin, his eyes bright and grin wide. “But this is the only chance I get to make love to my wife, my very heart, for the first time. It needs to be special- memorable.”

“It already is!” She cries when he moves lower still.

“Oh no, not enough, not nearly enough.” Solas drew his nose over her hip and kissed her thigh gently. “I will decide when it is enough.” His breath teased her, and Felicity moaned when his thumbs pulled her open. “You are so wet, Felicity.” He sighed and dragged his tongue up her core.

Felicity swore softly and quickly moved to muffle her gasping cry, but Solas beats her to it. His long fingers wrap around her wrists, gently pulling them back.

“There is no need to hide your cries, not here, not now… I want to hear them, all of them.” His eyes, though usually a stormy gray-blue, seem so much darker right now, and that alone sends a wave of desire pulsing through her. Never once did his gaze waver as he brought his mouth to her core and closed it firmly over her. He licks and sucks and kisses her there, pulling cry after feverish cry from her as Felicity arches up, shuddering and shaking as his magic adds to the flurry of sensations.

Solas doesn’t relent as she gets closer and closer, determined to drag her over the cliff’s edge like this before they continue. Felicity is flying, soaring on the waves of pleasure, hands twisted tight around the sheets beneath them, needing something to anchor her. She sobs for breath as she writhes against the bed, so desperate for release she could think of nothing else but the man seemingly intent on driving her mad.

“You are so close, vhen’an.” he murmurs, “Should I give it to you, my love, my little miracle? Send you soaring into oblivion by the skill of my tongue alone?”

She opened her eyes, though for a long heartbeat she couldn’t see anything. “Solas…” His name is whispered like a prayer, and though she tries to say more, no words come.

“Felicity.” He smiles; he can do nothing else

“S-stop teasing...” She softly begs, wanting nothing more than to finally let go of the tension gripping her entire body. His eyes soften, and so does his smile. 

“‘Ma vhen’an,” He sighs and delves his head back down to lick slowly at her lips, catching her hard bud with each pass. On and on it goes, pleasure burning through her body as he works her up once more. It was a pleasure bordering on pain, intense isn’t even close to describing what she feels, how strongly she feels it.

“Solas-!” The build-up might have been slow- torturously so- but when she’s finally pushed over the edge, it overwhelms her in an instant. Just like that, she is soaring over the cliff’s edge he had her dancing on. Felicity screams herself hoarse as she comes against his mouth.

She gives a hard sob as she shakes, delirious from the pleasure he had given her. Her heart races in her chest, her spirit singing against his as she dives into an ocean of ecstasy, unlike anything she’s ever known.

When her senses return, she finds him resting on her belly as she gasps for air.

“Solas… that was…” But Felicity had no words to encompass what she had just experienced.

“It was meant to be, vhen’an, I do try my best for you.” 

“You’re going to be the death of me.” She moans, reaching for him. Solas chuckles, loving the look on her face. Soft and content and loved. He would give anything to keep it there for all eternity.

Felicity’s skin is flushed, glistening in the dim light of the candles still flickering in the room around them. Her golden eyes gleam with her love, Felicity faintly glowing beneath him, but it was different from the usual glow she would get when happy. Right now, she shimmered, the light paler, glittering around her like faint starlight.

Solas was once again stunned by the thought that she was his, that he was hers. That this glorious creature so full of light and life cared for him. He settles his body against hers, basking in the feel of her pressed so tightly against his. The heat of her skin felt wonderful; she was just so soft. Her hands trace the length of his spine with such tenderness, more than he’d ever expected someone to treat him with. 

More than he deserved.

“That’s not true,” Felicity whispers as she feels his spirit start to darken around the edges. “It’s not.”

“You know my gloomy spirit so well, vhen’an.” Solas chuckles, doing his best to banish the unworthy emotions back into the forgotten corners of his mind. There was so much more he wanted from this night, so much more he wanted to give her; he couldn’t get sidetracked now.

_ “Isalan dara su tarasyl i’na.” _ Solas groans at her heated words, pulling back just enough to find her eyes.

“Where did you learn such words? I certainly did not teach you.”

“I asked Virdi what I could say to try to get you to blush. I spent a long time working on getting the pronunciation just right; how’d I do?” He rolls his eyes at her light laughter, nipping at her neck instead of answering. “I’ll take that as an A+.” She had been trying to make him blush, but truth be told, now saying the words to him caused her cheeks to heat instead.

“Shall we?” Solas, feeling the growing desire in her welling up again, props himself up, looking down at the woman who changed everything around her so effortlessly. 

_ “Sathan.”  _ With a low growl, he scrambles again for control. 

“ _ You _ will be the death of  _ me _ ...” He sighs, lifting his body just enough to align their centers. 

Solas turns his face into her throat, kissing up to the edge of her jaw. He presses forward, and she opens before him, granting him access to the heaven he’d been seeking. Neither could hold back their moans when Solas pauses, only barely past her entrance. 

“Vhen’an, you must relax. Breathe.” She was so incredibly tight he didn’t know how not to hurt her if she did not relax at least a little.

“God, fuck… you’re… big-!” She groans, shaking beneath him. Solas can’t stifle his chuckle and leans down to pepper her face with kisses. 

“I think that is the problem right now.” Solas kisses her deeply before his magic washed over her, hoping the distraction would be enough to relax her.

Her gasping cry of delight fills his mouth, and he greedily swallows it, wanting more, everything. Felicity is lost in the onslaught of sensations, and that’s all Solas needs to press deeper, stretch her open. Solas feels the strain in all his muscles as he holds himself back. They pant together, breaths mingling, utterly unable to find words to string together when their bodies were overwhelmed by a sea of sensations. At least he knew he wasn’t causing her pain right now. There was a burn, but she wasn’t in pain. 

“Breathe for me, vhen’an. We are nearly there.” Solas rocks gently and sinks deeper. 

His magic flickers out over her body again, trailing over her thighs, her breasts, her sides. When it dips lower, skipping over her little bundle of nerves, Solas knew he made a mistake. All at once, her walls spasm and clamp tightly around him.

_ “Pala!” _ He shouts in reaction, gritting his teeth as he tries to keep himself under control. An amused snort came from her, and he finally slipped the last few inches into her welcoming body.

“Oh fuck-!” She moans, digging her nails into his back. Solas lets out a low growl, unable to think past the bliss of being buried in her body, much less form sentences in this moment. It isn’t long before Felicity tries to move against him, though he keeps her hips pinned against the mattress.

“Patience.” He whispers, bringing his mouth back to her throat and laying soft kisses down the long length.

“Solas!” She huffs, trying again to move before digging her nails into his back. He chuckles, leaning up to look down at Felicity, nearly losing his control at the tempting sight of her beneath him. 

“Alright, alright.” He presses a sweet kiss to the corner of her mouth and takes a steadying breath.

It isn’t so much to tease her that has him pausing, though that is a side benefit. To keep him from losing himself to the tightness and heat, he needs a moment to breath, to get accustomed to the heaven he has found. Wound as tight as a spring but determined not to lose his control just yet, he slowly pulls back, groaning at the slick drag and clench of her sensitive walls.

“Oh… oh…” Felicity moans, trying to find words but coming up empty-handed. Her head falls back into the pillows as she arches back, desperate for more.

Solas can’t help but bring his mouth to her throat, slide his lips along her skin, and press them to her jaw. He thrust slowly forward, not stopping until he bottoms out and makes her shudder under him. 

This was so much better than he’d ever imagined it would be. 

Felicity was a gift and a miracle, and he was done denying himself the pleasure of drowning in her love so freely given. Still, this isn’t enough; he needs more, they both do. Solas moves one arm under her, lifting her hips up a little further, the other brushing wayward curls from her face. Her hands find their way around his back to dig into his shoulder. 

“Solas, Solas, please!”

“Shh, vhen’an, I have you.” He kisses her cheek and chooses a rhythm. A slow rhythm. It is an exquisite torture that has sweat breaking out on his body, but Felicity’s response is worth every ounce of control he has to drag to the surface to keep from losing himself. 

Felicity is a mess beneath him, gasping and moaning and crying out in ecstasy. Her eyes are hazy with pleasure, unfocused as she tries to say something, anything, but only more moans are freed from her lips.

Solas is unable to look away from the bliss in her expression, determined- desperate- to see more. His hands move to hold her a little tighter to him, to drive a little deeper. She cries out, eyes falling shut, but that simply wouldn’t do. 

He stops moving entirely, her eyes snapping open; Felicity about to yell at the man who teased her too much, but the heat in his eyes has her throat going dry. 

“Keep your eyes on me, vhen’an.”

She cries out his name when he starts to move again. Her nails raking down his back, but he didn’t care.

“That is it, Felicity,” He moans, her gaze locked on his, her golden eyes swimming with lust. “That is it, come for me, vhen’an.” 

Felicity chokes on her breath when at last, the slow thrusting of his hips increases in speed. She claws at him a second time, her head thrashing on her pillow, and Solas commits the image to memory. This surely wouldn’t be the last time he ever held his wife, but he never wants to forget this moment. 

“You are so close, my heart.” Solas murmurs, his breathing beginning to rush in time with hers as he feels the pleasure pool in his abdomen. “I can feel you reaching for your climax. Let yourself go, vhen’an, jump, and I will catch you. Trust me,” He whispers, holding her to him, opening his spirit to her so she could truly feel everything she did to him as he continued to thrust into her glorious body.

“I- I-”

“Look at me.” He brought the hand from her hip to cup her face and waited for her eyes to focus once again on his. “I love you, Felicity, more than life itself.”

Her cry is one of wonder and delight when, with his words, she reaches the highest of heights and begins to tumble down.

“Pala-!” He moans, bucking into her with the first tight clench, desperate to stave off his own rising orgasm but helpless to resist. Unable to hold it back, he finally gives in to his own body’s demands and thrusts harder. More, all he can think is that he needs more. More of her voice, more of her touch, more of her love.

He needs Felicity.

A snarl rips from his throat, and he buries his face in her neck, overcome with lust and the need to make her scream even as his body screams at him. Gone is the slow, thorough lovemaking he’d wanted to show her tonight, but he couldn’t find it within himself to care. He needs to claim her as his, needs to prove it as she screams for him.

He gives a particularly vigorous thrust of his hips, smirking when her eyes roll back in response. “We are far from finished, Felicity; this is only the beginning.”

“Oh, god, Solas!” Felicity moans, but it isn’t enough for him.

“I want to hear you scream, vhen’an. Scream my name as you shatter. Come for me again. Do it, Felicity!” He commands, slamming into her hips hard and fast, causing the sound of flesh meeting flesh to rise around them.

He is seconds away from losing the battle he was waging with his body. He knew what happened next would be the most intense release of his entire existence. Solas didn’t want to be finished already; he still needed more, but then he reminds himself the night was still young. The idea of starting all this over again with Felicity wasn’t a bad one.

Every muscle in her body goes rigid as her unseeing eyes open wide, and she throws her head back as the scream he was so desperate for finally filled the air.

Solas falls against her onto the bed, driving deep to pin her hips down when his rhythm fails. A roar leaves his lips with the shockwaves quaking down his spine, and his cock jumps and pulses with each jet of release. Heat washes out, searing through him, through them both. Pleasure, the likes of which he’d never known, has his vision going dark. Every muscle in his body tenses, and his spirit sings as he finally lets himself fall into the ecstasy Felicity brought him.

Neither one knows how long it takes to come down from their high, how long it takes before their hearts stop racing, and their breaths slow. 

But they do know it doesn’t take long before it’s all started again.

~~~~~

Felicity cannot remember ever feeling as good as she did last night. She always thought she’d had pretty good partners as far as the sex went, but Solas took it to a whole new level, putting every past night of passion to shame. Her plan to tempt him into bed had worked far better than she ever imagined, but Felicity supposed she hardly had to seduce him; he wanted this as bad as she had. 

Felicity had thought she would be more sore given everything they had done last night, but there is only a slight ache. Whether it was overshadowed by the bliss or her magic had already healed a portion of it, she didn’t know and didn’t care. 

“Good morning, vhen’an.” His voice rumbles from underneath her ear. Felicity leans up, looking down at him with such a bright smile Solas’ heart skips a beat. She had her fair share of marks dotting her pale skin, heat pooling in him as he remembered giving her each and every one. Felicity gave as good as she got, though hers were not so much a conscious action. Her nails had dug into his back, leaving neat trails of scratches on his skin.

“Yes it is.” Felicity giggles as she leans down for a kiss knowing full well it wouldn’t just be one.

“Am I to assume we have some free time?”

“Yeah we do. I managed to finagle my way into two whole days free of meetings and training and everything. Unless it’s an emergency, in which case they can come get me. And since I’m technically your boss, I gave you the time off as well.”

“How thoughtful.” It’s a long time before there are any more coherent words, Solas’ stamina seeming endless as he brings them both to the edge again and again and again. When they are both completely spent again, he creates a bath for them in the corner of her spacious room.

It’s easy to keep the water at the perfect temperature with his magic, Felicity zoning in and out as he cleans them both up. She lay draped over him in the warm water, so much more than content as she tries to piece together her thoughts again.

“We shoulda been doing this way before now.” He laughs at her mumbled words, Felicity pressing a kiss to his shoulder with a lazy smile of her own. 

“You will hear no argument from me. Are you hungry?”

“I don’t wanna move yet.” She groans, pressing closer and wrapping her arms and legs around him as best she can.

“We are in no hurry, vhen’an.” His hands trail over her skin, fingers tracing invisible patterns, his magic tingling against her own. A sliver of desire causes her to shudder against him, quietly moaning.

“How are you not dead tired?” Felicity half moans half laughs against him as she feels him getting hard already.

“It is as you said, we should have been doing this ages ago; I am simply making up for lost time.” Felicity can’t argue with that logic, and just like that, they are tangled up again. By the time they got out of the water, a large portion of it had sloshed over the edges. Before either of them could slip and break something, Felicity cleans it up with a flick of the wrist. 

“Magic is the best.” Felicity sighs as, from nowhere, Solas pulls a silky robe out of the air. She has it on in a heartbeat, feeling a little too fancy but not having a single fuck to give about it. 

That how their time off is spent sleeping, cuddling, eating, and of course, more sex than Felicity thought was possible for two people to have in such a short amount of time. 

Maybe it was an ancient elf thing.

~~~~~

There were weeks worth of planning before they were ready to head out, mostly because they could already start working on forces to travel to Adamant. They already knew what was coming, and that gave them an edge they otherwise wouldn’t have. It would take the better part of a week and a half to get to Crestwood if they pushed it, Felicity and her little traveling party deciding to meet Acacia and the others there rather than try and meet up somewhere before that. 

“I hate packing; I always end up forgetting something.” Felicity complains as both she and Solas collect their things. It felt like she had only just gotten back to Skyhold, and now they were leaving again. “Does Thedas have raincoats? Cause it’s gonna be raining a lot in Crestwood.”

“Rain coats?”

“Like, rubber coats that don’t absorb water, so you don’t get soaked.”

“We do not have rubber, but there are some treatments that can be applied to cloaks to achieve a similar effect.”

“Well, I’m gonna see if I can make an inconspicuous raincoat and maybe some rain boots too. I don’t like walking around soaked to the bone. You want one too? If I can get it, I’m gonna give one to Dorian as a present. He doesn’t like the rain.”

“You will have to make it suitably flashy.”

“Do I detect a hint of jealousy?”

“No.” Solas answers in a heartbeat, rolling his eyes at Felicity’s giggles.

“You can’t deny he does look nice.”

“You and I have very different definitions of the word nice.” Everyone gathers in the courtyard as Felicity mounts up with everyone else. Hawke, Fenris, Varric, Dorian, and Percy were joining Felicity and Solas. Of course, Adaar and Panelan were coming along for the journey as well. They make a mismatched group that Felicity adored, and this time, they didn’t need to travel with a battalion of soldiers. If they were going to make good time, they wouldn’t be able to travel with carts or bulky soldiers.

It was surreal to be traveling with Hawke and Fenris. Even after having lived in Thedas for nearly a year, there were still these little things that just blew Felicity’s mind.

“You know, when you can ride harts and dracolisks and nugalopes, it’s a wonder anyone rides plain old horses.” Felicity giggles at the eye rolls she gets from nearly everyone. Solas rode a red hart, and Percy and immediately fell in love with a dark dracolisk, but everyone else rode a traditional horse. Felicity herself had found a lovely, lazy nuggalope to carry her. He was surprisingly quick when they traveled, but the moment they would set up camp, he would lay down and not move a muscle until they left again.

“What was it you named him, vhen’an?”

“Baron von Floppsie the Fifth.”

“Were there truly four other Baron’s?”

“Nope, just sounded better with it added on the end. When I was a kid, I used to have pet goldfish; I named the first one Velvet. They never live very long, so it wasn’t long before I had Velvet the Second, and then the Third, all the way to the Fifty-Seventh.”

“We got on a first-name basis with the pet store owner; he was a nice guy, always let her pet the bunnies.” Percy smiles fondly as he remembers going there nearly every day on summer breaks to pet the rabbits and cats and hamsters. 

“They were so soft, and their floppy ears were just the cutest! I always wanted a bunny for a pet, but we never really had the space for it.”

“And mom definitely would have cooked it up if it ever angered her.” Felicity winces but nods all the same. Her mom used to talk about the different recipes her parents had made with rabbit, each and every one horrifying Felicity to no end.

“How many pets have you had?” Hawke asks as she rides a little closer to talk with them without shouting over everyone else.

“Lots of fish, we had a dog when we were little kids. She was a big black lab, and Marlowe was the most chill animal I’ve ever seen. There used to be a few stray cats that would hang out by the house sometimes. Mom said I wasn’t allowed to feed them because otherwise, they’d never leave, but I still snuck them treats. But that’s pretty much it, just lots and lots of fish.”

“I had a cat once; an old… friend of mine gave it to me to watch.” Hawke’s face twisted up as she struggled on the word friend, Felicity’s face falling as well, knowing full well who would have given her a cat. Anders was- if this Thedas held true to when Felicity had played as Adria Hawke- one of her closest friends. When he destroyed the Chantry and Hawke had to deal with him, it had broken her heart.

“Cats are nice, especially the cuddly ones, but I think I like dogs more. I always wanted a St Bernard; they were these giant fluffy dogs that were supposed to be like search and rescue dogs. But I never had any room for one.”

“Don’t you guys live in aravels?”

“I mean, I think that’s what Dalish elves do, but I always lived in the city. And not in a very big house either.”

“Oh, sorry, you just didn’t seem as anti-human as most of the other city elves I’ve seen.”

“I always thought the Dalish would be more anti-human than the city elves.”

“Some clans, but many have this air of superiority about it all. They don’t hate humans; they act like they are above it all. Some of them even like trading with humans and seeing what they have to offer. But many of the city elves- subjected to more racism every day- can’t stand us terrible shems.”

“We gotta work on that.” Felicity mumbles with a sigh. Racism had taken a dramatic turn in Skyhold after Haven, a common enemy working wonders, but also the fact that the main people who had been standing up to Corypheus’ reign of terror were also elves helped too. But in the world, it wasn’t just humans acting terribly to elves; elves would act just as terribly right back. 

Why was there such a schism between the two? 

Even between the humans and Qunari and dwarves, it wasn’t so bad, and Felicity knew for a fact that people were more scared of Qunari than elves. It obviously wasn’t an issue that was just going to go away, certainly not in places like Orlais and Tevinter, but she was going to do her best to try and make right all she could. 

“Any plans?”

“I mean, I’m pretty sure jettisoning the assholes into space isn’t an appropriate response, so as of right now, no, I don’t have any specific plans.”

“Jettisoning?”

“Um, like, dropping from a ship, in this case, a spaceship!” Hawke laughs, believing Felicity to be spinning tales, but Solas knows she is literally thinking of a ship that travels the stars. He’s caught a couple of glimpses when she would show him Earth, but it was still rare for her to have conscious control of her dreams when he wasn’t there. 

He had talked with Honor regarding her dreams, and it had been an enlightening conversation. It seemed sometimes when she would sleep and dream, her conscious mind didn’t fully enter the Fade. If Solas was there and drew her through, she would be present, but her dreams were not typically a part of the Fade like everyone else’s. That said, the Fade would still try and influence her dreams like it usually would. It led to Felicity having dreams far more vivid than average as it relied on her mind alone to create what she saw even if the Fade was providing the ideas and memories. 

That was the only part the Fade would play during those nights, usually pressing a specific memory through the strange barrier, one that she would then live through for all intents and purposes. Some were innocuous, wildlife living peacefully in forests, fish in the sea, bakers and cobblers and farmers going through their day-to-day lives. Other times they were less pleasant. The last moments of a soldier in a battle, the dying breaths of a Warden in the Deep Roads, the terrifying instant a child mage is possessed before the Templar’s come for them. Memories of dragons soaring through the skies fighting each other over territory, spies sneaking through enemy territory with vital information. Last night Solas had made it a point to try and observe the changes in her dreams while they were not in Skyhold, where the Fade had more to draw from to see if it changed what her mind would dream of. 

The short answer was no; her dreams reacted very much the same to the Fade’s memories. It was merely that out here traveling, there was more for the Fade to draw from. Wildlife was abundant, and there were oftentimes Deep Roads full of memories to draw from. The ominous, dark feelings she would sometimes wake up with were just lingering emotions from her brief period of living as another.

The problem was it was those dreams that seemed to draw the most attention from other spirits, demons, and Dreamers in the Fade. That is when Honor and Wisdom and others would work to protect her dreams from being broken into. If they put forth a great deal of energy, they could enter the dreams themselves, like Honor had that night. But doing so broke the barrier that separated her from the Fade and kept most malicious forces at bay, and as such, they only did it when absolutely necessary.

As much as he would like to simply draw her through to the Fade and protect her himself, there simply wasn’t time. He still had his own research regarding the Veil and possible ways to bring it down without destroying everything. Add that onto trying to manage his own agents within and without Skyhold, and there was little time to explore simply for the joy of finding something new with Felicity.

One of these days, he was going to try and find Percy in the Fade and see if his dreams were anything like his sisters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >///<
> 
> Well, that's that, guys. I tried very hard, and I think it turned out pretty decent, but boy howdy did I have a hell of a time writing it. Please don't be too harsh, I'm still not used to writing the spicier bits, and I'm certainly not used to putting them up. I'm gonna have to update tags and stuff now too, that should be fun. I never know what to put.
> 
> Next week we'll be back to our regularly schedule plot, I promise. ^.^
> 
> Anywho, here are the translations:  
> Isalan dara su tarasyl i’na - I lust to go to the sky with you  
> Sathan - Please  
> Pala - Fuck
> 
> Some of the dirty talk that's translated in Project Elvhen just makes me laugh, but thank you again to FenxShirlal for the translations.


	34. Chapter 34

“I dibs sharing a tent with Solas!” Felicity announces as she tosses her pack into the tent she claimed as theirs.

“No one else wants to anyways. We’d get the evil eye from you the rest of the trip.” Percy teases as he and Panelan start setting up their tent right next to Felicity’s.

“I mean… no, yeah, you’re right. I would totally give you guys the evil eye.” She laughs as Panelan makes funny faces about being so close to their tent. “Don’t be such a baby, Llewellyn. We’ll put up a barrier if we do anything… probably.” He turns beet red, and that only makes Felicity laugh harder.

They continue to joke around as Varric, Hawke, and Fenris head out, looking for some dinner to cook up. Felicity is in the middle of teasing Adaar when the sound of feet stomping through the surrounding forest. She is in the middle of trying to tie a woven leather bracelet to his arm when suddenly he is on his feet, moving in front of her, his hand on the hilt of the weapon strapped to his back.

“What is- oh…” Felicity trails off, her stomach sinking as she sees who was walking up to their little camp. A handful of Warden’s are there, four humans, three elves, and a dwarf. She knew a few Wardens were here looking for Stroud, but she didn’t think it would be in such large groups.

“Well, is this the Inquisition we’ve been hearing about?” One of the humans, a rather tall young woman, steps forward with a smile a little too sharp to be friendly.

“It is,” Solas answers, squaring his shoulders and dropping the humble apostate guise for the moment, staring down the Wardens looking every part the Dread Wolf. “Are the Warden’s patrolling these forests?”

“Something like that. We’re actually looking for one of our own who’s gone missing. What is the Inquisitor doing so far away from Skyhold?” The woman leans to the side, peeking at Felicity, who stands still as stone behind Adaar. Felicity didn’t like this lady one bit, and the fact that all the others apart from the dwarf seemed to be mages with dead eyes only made it worse. 

“Camping, obviously. I thought the tents would be a dead give away. Maybe we’ll have to start a fire and roast some smores and tell spooky stories to make it official.” Anxiety sits like a stone in her gut, but Felicity makes her tone light and carefree, even managing a believable smile to show the Wardens. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I always thought Warden’s going missing kind of came with the job? What makes you think they are here in this rather Darkspawn free forest?”

“The Warden’s have deserters just like any other army, and just like them, we do not tolerate traitors.”

“Interesting.” Percy snorts, moving to stand next to Felicity, Adaar keeping his place in front of her.

“What, exactly, is so interesting?” The woman’s eyes snap to Percy, anger quickly rising to the surface as she sees his nonchalant attitude.

“You’re party set up. Warden-Commander Amell would be appalled at the unbalanced approach.”

“We heard there were rifts in the area; my sword can’t deal with the tears in the Veil.”

“Neither can your mages magic. Didn’t you hear, only the Herald’s mark can close the rifts. All your mages could accomplish would be making the rifts worse.”

“Well, I guess it’s for the best that the Hero isn’t here then, isn’t it? Who might you be, anyhow, to speak so plainly about the Hero but be with the Inquisition? Another meatshield for her holiness?” No one misses the disgust in her voice when she talks about Eliora, nor do they miss the venom she spits at Felicity.

“He’s not a meatshield, and if you suggest it again, I’ll show you firsthand how well I can handle myself.” Just like that, all pretenses of civility drop from Felicity’s face. 

“I figured that had to be the reason. Why else would you need one of those monstrous oxmen with you-” The woman doesn’t get a chance to finish dancing on Felicity’s already very thin patience. Felicity clenches her fists, a flash of her magic sinking into the ground before it rises back up. Before any of the Warden’s can so much as shout, roots and vines burst up from under their feet. In the blink of an eye, they are all bound up, arms and legs unable to move even an inch.

“I fucking warned you, you dumb bitch.” Felicity spits, tightening her fist a little bit more and making it that much harder to breathe when the woman starts to laugh.

“So much anger for one sent from the Maker’s side.”

“I wasn’t sent from anywhere, so I can be however angry I want.”

“That’s not what my master said.” The woman’s smile is feral as Felicity is visibly shocked. The other’s manage to hold up their stern expressions, and Felicity wishes she could have as well when she sees the victorious spark in the Warden’s eyes. “He said you were from another world, not sent by a Maker that doesn’t exist. And he says you know too much.”

“He’s a pretentious prick; I could not _possibly_ care less about what he says about me.” Felicity tries to deflect, but it was too late. The Warden had her confirmation when Felicity couldn’t hide her shock.

“I wonder if all your 'friends’ here know about your home, your knowledge, your fake-” She cuts off with a grunt as a bolt sinks through the vines and firmly into her side. Varric reloads Bianca with a stern expression, Hawke and Fenris standing behind him with their own weapons drawn.

“Keep talking, lady; I’ve got all the time in the world and enough bolts to boot.”

“I see the Champion is with you; I think we are here looking for the same person after all, Outworlder. Warden Stroud will pay-” Again she’s stopped by a bolt, this time it dug into her thigh. “Try it again, dwarf.” She snarls, and Varric openly laughs. 

“You look a little tied up right now to be tossing out threats.”

“If you think your knife eared leader can hold me, you-” Another bolt hits its mark in her other thigh, and Varric just keeps laughing as she starts to struggle to free herself. Felicity stands frozen watching them, trying to think of a way out of this and coming up empty. She isn’t paying attention to her surroundings, so when Adaar is suddenly turning around, she doesn’t know how to react.

Solas beats him to the punch, though, his arm snapping out and grabbing the would-be assassin by the neck, holding the small man up in the air. With a snarl, his magic sparks bright in his eyes, and just like that, the man is turned to stone. Solas continues to hold the statue up, slowly turning his eyes back to the woman who looks so much angrier now that her plan has failed. He stares for a moment longer before casually dropping the statue, the stone breaking into several heavy chunks as it hits the hard ground. 

“Corypheus will-” Another bolt hits its mark, the woman starting to resemble a porcupine. 

“I think we’ve heard enough from you.” Hawke starts making rounds to the wardens currently bound up, not bothering to gag the mages as they seemed pretty brain dead anyway. But she made sure both the human warrior and dwarven rogue wouldn’t be spouting off any more crazed bullshit.

If looks could kill, the Warden woman would have murdered them all. Then again, Solas would have done the same right back.

“Well, that takes the fun right out of our camping trip.” Percy tries to joke, drawing Felicity’s gaze. She still looked out of sorts, and Percy was worried about her. “Hey, can you really make stuff for s’mores? Because it’s been years since I had one.”

“Hmm?” Her eyes finally focus on him, and Percy gently repeats the question. “Oh, I mean, I don’t see why I couldn’t make s’mores; I can make most any other food I can think of.”

“Damn Chuckles, that was something else,” Varric says with a little nervous laugh as he puts Bianca back, carefully stepping over the broken remains of the assassin. Fenris picks the large ram they had gotten back up, Hawke picking up the small cloak she had gathered wild berries in along with a few apples. “You learn that trick in the Fade too?”

“Something like that.” Solas, only barely managing to keep from turning the others to stone, flicks his wrist, the chunks of the assassin rising into the air before flying off to the side out of the way. “Vhen’an?” It takes another moment, but eventually, her eyes find their ways to him.

“Thank you for, you know, stopping that guy. You too, Adaar…” Felicity trails off as her gaze flickers back to their captives, her mouth twisting down into a frown. “There is no way I’m going to be able to sleep with them being creepy like this.” The Warden’s eyes had not left her, the furry seeming to grow stronger with each passing second. Her brow furrows as she concentrates, Felicity’s arms raising up as she casts. The ground rumbles, all of the Warden’s slowly turning in place and sinking lower into the ground.

Felicity doesn’t stop until they are buried up to their chests and face the opposite direction of the camp.

“And mages wonder why people are afraid of them,” Fenris mutters, but Solas is there with a severe expression before Felicity can say anything in response.

“A word?” It wasn’t really a question, but no one wanted to find out what would happen if Fenris didn’t listen. Fenris crosses his arms but doesn’t refuse, and when Solas heads off into the woods, he quietly follows. 

“They are never going to get along, are they?” Felicity sighs, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She wanted everyone to be friends and get along, but she supposed their personalities were just too different. Hawke keeps from wincing as she bumps her shoulder into Felicity's, doing her best to smile bright.

“I’m sure they’ll come around eventually. Come on, I need help cooking this ram up!”

~~~~~

It’s a solid hour before Solas and Fenris come back to camp, Felicity still a little out of it as she stirs the stew Hawke was making. It doesn’t look like they had fought or anything, both of them surprisingly calm as they walk back to the group. She was curious as to what they had talked about, but Felicity kept her mouth shut, not wanting to risk breaking whatever truce they had come to.

Percy and Panelan spar off to the side in the clearing. Dorian watching for purely academic reasons as the shirtless men work up a sweat, their blades loud as they strike against each other. Usually, Percy preferred his bow over daggers, but it was good to keep his skills sharp because you couldn’t ever be too careful in Thedas.

When Solas makes it to Felicity, he quickly kisses her forehead, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath before pulling back. 

“Ram stew?”

“Yeah, Hawke has been trying to doctor it up so it would taste better; she went looking for some herbs a few minutes ago.”

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, yeah.” She has never sounded less sure of anything in her life.

“Felicity.” Solas gently scolds, pulling her away from the stew and into his lap as he sits on a nearby stump. “You do not have to pretend that everything is okay.”

“Nothing happened, though; it’s stupid that I’m upset over nothing.”

“You are not stupid, vhen’an.”

“I am too! I wasn’t attacked; I wasn’t even really threatened. You had the guy before anything could happen there, and I bound up the other before they could attack. Why do I feel so unsettled still?”

“Because you are unused to such encounters where you are the leader, and that is how it should be. I would be worried if this did not take you a moment to process. You are still new to this, Felicity; you will not be perfect just because you wish it so.”

“If this is my reaction to a few asshole Warden’s, I’m going to be absolutely useless at Adamant.”

“You worry too much.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Felicity sighs, pressing her face into his shoulder and trying to hold back the frustrated tears. She couldn’t be useless, not now, not at Adamant. She had to make sure as many people survived the Nightmare as physically possible. She didn’t want to leave either Hawke or Stroud in the Fade- she _wouldn’t_ this time around. 

Felicity barely says a word as time drags on, minutes turning into hours in the blink of an eye. Their meal is as loud as it is typically, save for Felicity’s usual participation in the shenanigans is missing. When she turns in early with just a small half-smile to her friends, everyone begins to worry in earnest. 

“She okay?”

“I… no, I do not think she is. She is worrying too much about things out of her control.”

“She always seems to bounce back from these kinds of things, though,” Hawke says with a little shrug, feeling bad for Felicity. She knew how it felt to have so many people relying on you alone, and Felicity had so much more than just a city.

“I noticed that too, she seems way more… I don’t know, fluid with her emotions? She flips back and forth way faster than she used to.” Solas’ eyes flicker to Hawke and Fenris, but they were going to have to find out eventually about Felicity’s origins. Fenris had already questioned Solas about what the Warden had said.

“I believe that largely has to do with her new connection to the Fade when she got here. I have noticed as well that she fluctuates between her emotions far quicker than is normal. Also, the depths at which she feels her emotions is… it is more than people realize.”

“How do you know it then?”

“Because they’re bound, magically married and whatnot. What she feels, he feels and vise versa.” Percy answers Hawke’s question before Solas can. “It’s good her default is so happy; I can’t imagine depression feels so great when it’s ten times stronger and can jumpscare you outta nowhere.”

“Where is she from?” It’s less of a polite question from Fenris and more of a demand, which immediately grates on Solas’ nerves. Felicity may be smitten with Hawke and her companion, but Solas was ready for them to take their leave.

“When the Warden called her an ‘Outwordler’ that was actually pretty on the nose.” Percy shrugs, taking another slow bite before continuing. “We both are from Earth, another world entirely from Thedas. We don’t really know how we both got here; it was quite a few years apart.”

“And her knowledge?”

“I guess back on Earth, we have stories about Thedas. Tales about the Warden, the Champion, and the Inquisitor/ Herald. She knows what happened, essentially living as Eliora and Hawke, going so far as stopping Corypheus as the Inquisitor. She knows what’s coming, at least generally where Corypheus is concerned.” Percy says it lightly, trying to make it sound less ominous and creepy than it did when she explained it to him. Video games were not a new concept for him, so she didn’t need to explain that, but hearing the details she knew about his closest friends here because she _lived_ as them was unsettling. 

“She possessed Hawke?!” Fenris, already glowing, moves to stand, taking a step towards Felicity’s tent.

“Sit. Down.” Solas growls, his eyes flashing with magic as a thick blue barrier slams into place around the tent. Fenris would not be able to break that barrier, not in this life, and Solas dares the warrior with his eyes to try and see what would happen.

“No, she’s not a spirit; she can’t possess anyone. On Earth, there are video games; it’s like a play where one person gets to choose what the protagonist does. That’s what she did, decided what the Hero and Champion did. I would have been as skeptical as you about how that could possibly hold over to this world, but it does. She knows things no one but Ellie and Ali knows, and I imagine the same holds true for you two.”

Fenris looked no less angry, and Hawke looked a little pale as she came to terms with the fact that the woman she’s been getting to know knows more about her than she ever wanted anyone to know. Does she know about that night with Anders? That she loves Fenris, but Anders will always hold a place in her heart? Does she know that he’s not dead? That Hawke 'killed’ Anders in front of everyone, but in reality, she knocked him out with poison and helped him out of Kirkwall when she left with the promise that she had better not ever see him again? 

She couldn’t know all that, right? 

Felicity would have said something, wouldn’t she?

“She’s not gonna use it against you.” Percy, seeing Hawke freaking out a little, quickly tries to reassure her. “Lissy is not that kind of person; if you haven’t learned that by now, then you probably never will, but still. That’s not her, so don’t worry about it.”

“Indeed. All Felicity has ever wanted to do is help people, save people. She cares more for this world than a great deal of the people who have been living here all their lives.” Solas doesn’t miss Hawke’s reaction, curious as to what was in her past that would elicit such a response. But they don’t need more tension in the air right now, so he lets it go. 

“So we are just to overlook her knowledge? The power she holds?”

“You do not need to overlook it, but it ultimately does not change anything. The only difference between now and a week ago is that you now know of her knowledge.” There is a threat only barely veiled behind Solas’ words and tone. She had enough on her shoulders; he would not allow anxiety and guilt over her knowledge to be added on. He would not stand for the people she cares so much for judging and hating her for something she had no control over.

“You’ve known Varric?”

“Oh yeah, she had this little bit back in Haven when she told us all exactly what she knew without spilling the beans… it was creepy but effective. And she is just as sunshiney now as she was before then, so I gotta side with Chuckles on this.” Varric causally shrugs, doing his best to calm Hawke. He knew as Fenris did that there were things Hawke hid from them, and he was sure she had her reasons. But Varric also knew Felicity wasn’t someone who would take advantage of anyone with her knowledge. 

They finish their meal in heavy silence, Solas the next to step away. His heart aches when he enters the tent to see Felicity fast asleep curled up in a little ball around his pillow, her cheeks still wet with tears. Even unconscious, he can still feel her worry through the bond. Adamant would be a harrowing challenge even with the help her foreknowledge gave them, and though she hadn’t told even him all the details, he knew it was going to break her if they didn’t do it right.

Carefully, so as not to wake her up, Solas lays down next to her. It takes a little bit of finagling before she is wrapped up in his arms, her entire body relaxing into him as she falls that much deeper into sleep. 

~~~~~ 

It takes a day and a half for Inquisition forces from the nearest established camp to reach them to collect the Wardens and the corrupted mages, Felicity refusing to leave anything to chance. It’s an awkward day, Felicity having heard the others talking about her knowledge as she fell asleep. Hawke, though she tries to act as nothing has changed, is tense around her, and Fenris doesn’t even speak to her anymore, suspicious eyes always following after her silently. It’s not like he talked to her a whole lot before, but she would get an offhand comment every now and again. 

“Would it help if you asked questions? It’s not like I know every detail of your lives, just more than most. I just… I can’t walk on eggshells like this for forever.”

Hawke looks at Felicity, feeling a pang in her chest at her gloomy expression. She’d been nothing but bright and happy all this time; seeing her depressed like this only made Hawke feel worse. There were, of course, questions she wanted to ask. She wanted to know if things could have been different, if she chose the best path, but she couldn’t very well ask those with everyone else so close by.

“No, no, it’s fine. It just is going to take some getting used to. I suppose you get most of the inside jokes, don’t you? I don’t have to explain them every time, I guess.” 

“I like hearing it from your perspective still. And you’re good at telling stories, so it’s fun to listen anyways. I didn’t mean to hide it; it’s just, I don’t think it’s that important. It’s not like I rely on it when talking with you guys.”

“Do you know I’m a mage then?”

“Adria!” Fenris barks, immediately reaching for his sword, his eyes flashing to those around her as if he expected everyone to attack. Which, to be fair, they probably would have been in Kirkwall. Felicity smiles, a little bit of her light returning to her.

“In the game you were, but when we met, I saw the bow you used all the time. I wondered if perhaps you were hiding it or if I was finally wrong about something.”

“I’m not a very good mage, never could get the hang of staffs and all that, but I’m pretty good with healing.”

“Healing beats the shit out of fire and lightning any day.” Felicity giggles, meaning every word. There were precious few healers these days; they could use every single one they had.

“I am going to pretend I didn’t hear that, my dear.” Dorian teases, his nose in the air but a mischievous spark in his eyes.

“I still adore you, lovely Dorian, but you have to admit healing is a wonderful skill to have even though it is often overlooked in magical studies.”

“I have to admit to no such thing.”

“Blo-” Fenris opens his mouth, a sneer in place, but before he can say a word, Felicity cuts in with a stern expression.

“If you say anything about him using blood magic because he is from Tevinter, I will happily mute you for the rest of the trip. Not everyone from Tevinter is an ass.”

“All the ones I’ve met have been.” He mumbles, defiance still in his eyes, and his hand still resting on the hilt of his blade.

“How do you put up with him?” Felicity turns to Hawke, who just smiles.

“He’s not usually this combative. And he’s not a huge people person; you should have seen him in the tavern some nights when everyone would get together. I used to think he didn’t know how to smile.”

“Well, I’m still not convinced on that front.” Felicity turns back to the camp seeing the last of the prisoners being loaded onto the cart, everyone’s tents taken down and packed up. “Alright, we ready to head off?”

“My master will come for you, Outworlder!” The shriek startles Felicity, somehow during the moving process, the gag has come loose on the Warden. Her eyes burn with a crazed intensity, her voice raspy and absolutely furious. “You will _never_ be safe!”

“Eat shit,” Felicity grumbles back, waving her hand, the woman losing her voice in a heartbeat. Her mouth continues to move, but not a sound comes out, and it takes her a moment to notice that small but very crucial fact. Even from as far away as she is, Felicity can hear the sound of her teeth snapping together as she closes her mouth. “Let’s go before we find out the time limit on that spell.”

Baron von Floppsie the Fifth was already waiting for Felicity, her pack secured by Solas. He’d seen the ludicrous ways she’d tried tying her bag to various mounts a few times before he declared that he would take care of that particular responsibility for her. The pack may not have fallen off the different ways Felicity had attached it, but it also required too much rope and far too many knots to undo by the end to be practical. 

“How much longer do you think it’ll take to get to Crestwood?”

“Another two days, Inquisitor.” Adaar answers as he climbs onto his own mount, the horse as dangerous looking as his rider was. Felicity chalks that up to the horse armor the mount had.

“That’s two days too long.” She sighs, leaning forward to pat Baron’s head.

“If we ride through the night, we could cut that time in half.” Percy shrugs, deftly hopping on his dracolisk. Felicity was a little jealous of her brother; he always had this graceful way of moving, it seemed his time in Thedas only helped with that.

“I feel like that is asking for trouble.”

“Oh, for sure, but it _would_ get us there faster.”

“We’ll see how things look later today. I really wouldn’t mind getting there faster just so we can get moving on this shit show, but I don’t wanna be putting anyone’s safety on the line.”

“How very leader-like.” He teases, Felicity rolling her eyes and sticking out her tongue at him.

“Someone has to act like a proper adult here.” Solas clears his throat, drawing her gaze, and when she finds him, he cocks a brow in question. “I meant out of the two of us! You’re a great adult-er, Solas.” Silence hangs in the air for a moment as Felicity’s words hang in the air. “Wait, no, not an adulterer, not that! Just someone who adults! Who acts his age! _Not that you’re old or anything!_ I just- fuck, let’s go before I insult anyone else.” With heated cheeks, Felicity spurs Barron Floppsie forward, ignoring the chuckles from behind her.

Solas’ spirit warms within her, and she knows he’d been teasing her, but still, it was embarrassing. There was probably no one else as loyal as Solas.

Before she knows it, the night is beginning to fall, but she hasn’t given the thought of riding through the night any more attention since this morning. A quick glance around shows everyone to be holding up alright, no one dead tired or in need of a long rest. 

“If it’s alright with everyone, I’d like to keep going. If we need to, we can always stop in a little bit if that changes. I’d offer to light the way, but I don’t wanna put a big glowing target on us.”

“If we need to, we can always take turns sleeping on our mounts, vhen’an. It is not a particularly rough ride around these parts, at least not yet.”

“That’s true; we can do that too. Any preferences?”

“The sooner we get there, the better. I’m a little worried about Stroud.” Hawke pipes up from the back where she’d been with Fenris. Everyone else nods their agreement, and Felicity nods back.

“Ride through the night it is.” Her magic flickers in the air as she casts, turning her gaze to the mounts all her friends are currently riding. “Is it alright if we continue? You are all doing alright?” 

None of them are surprised by Felicity’s ability to talk to them, she had done it a couple of times already, and they also voiced their agreement. So long as they did not run galloping through the night, they would be fine. 

“When we get there, I promise to make a whole bunch of treats for all of you.” She beams at them before turning back to the path in front of them. 

A few hours into the night, they begin to take shifts sleeping for an hour or two, Felicity continuing on despite her growing exhaustion. She wants to make sure everyone else is taken care of first, so she forces her eyes open wider in an effort to keep the sleep away.

Felicity doesn’t realize she’s drifted off until she feels magic wrapping gently around her and lifting her up.

“Shh, vhen’an, go back to sleep.” Solas murmurs as he brings her over into his waiting arms. She’s drifted close to the edge a few times but never truly fell asleep until a moment ago. And she’d nearly fallen from her mount in the process.

“S’not my turn yet.” Felicity tries to fight against his warm spirit and warmer embrace, but it’s a losing battle. 

“It is Felicity. Now rest; I will wake you when it is time.” Felicity tries to keep the conversation going to force herself to stay conscious, but all that comes out is a wordless huff, and she is asleep a heartbeat later. “You are both so stubborn.” Solas quietly says as he shakes his head, Percy having succumbed to sleep not too much earlier than Felicity.

Panelan had quickly thrown his cloak over the neck of Percy’s mount, the thick material ensuring the young elf didn’t get stabbed by any of the spines his dracolisk sported. He had made it just in time because moments later, Percy had slumped forward, softly snoring as sleep finally took him.

“It sounds like it is a familial trait.” Panelan snickers, thinking of the various stories both Pennel’s had shared regarding their mother. She sounded like a fierce woman and just as stubborn as her kids. Solas nods, carefully maneuvering his mount into the middle of their small group, Panelan doing the same for Percy. This way, if anything happened, they would have at least a short moment to wake before anything got to them. “They’re cute, though; you’ve got to give them that.”

“Oh, are they?” Solas’ full attention now focuses on his friend, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he sees Panelan’s green eyes full of surprising warmth as he studies Percy. By the time he pulls his attention away from the sleeping elf, Panelan can see Solas’ small smile has grown into a full-on smirk.

“Shut up.” He immediately turns away, but it’s too late. Solas saw his cheeks start to color in the low light of the moons, and it takes all his self-control not to laugh. Not at his tastes, Solas uncaring that he was as attracted to men as he was to women. It was only because Thelris would- as Felicity would say- shit a brick when he finds out that his brother has also found someone to catch his attention so far from their own time.

But in the end, Solas knows Thelris will be over the moon. The poor man had tried so many times to play matchmaker with his brother in the past, and while Panelan would always make friends with the various individuals, none of them had ever caught his eye in a romantic way. It was a little funny to Solas that both individuals they were finally drawn to were from another world entirely.

“I am happy for you.” Solas chuckles as Panelan refuses to look at him, though his eyes do drift back to Percy. He was… a breath of fresh air. Quirky like Felicity, but he had this way about him, a way he held himself. Felicity, though open with her words and feelings, constantly worried about offending or hurting people. Percy had no such qualms, and it led to him having a direct way of speaking, an honest personality that Panelan quickly became addicted to. Of course, it helped that he was handsome with his sandy skin, unruly curls, and perfect muscles in all the right places.

But still, it was a recent attraction; he was unsure if such an advance would even be welcome from Percy.

“I will not say a word, do not worry.” Solas tightens his arms around Felicity, truly hoping Panelan could find someone to care for, and that will return that affection just as fiercely as it was given. Panelan quietly clears his throat, working on schooling his features before straightening his shoulders and focusing back on the path before them.


	35. Chapter 35

“Stupid rain. Stupid demons. Stupid rift in the stupid ruins in the stupid lake.” They had to leave the mounts back at the camp, the large number of demons and undead spooking most of the mounts. 

Felicity dearly missed having dry feet.

“Please, don’t hold back, Lissy, tell us how you really feel,” Felicity grumbles under breath, shooting Percy a glare as she pulls her raincoat a little tighter around her. It kept the water off her, but it wasn’t exactly the warmest garment she owned. 

“She has a point.” Dorian joins in, disliking this place almost as much as Felicity. He was eternally grateful when she offered him a raincoat. And though the style was far from what he would typically wear, it kept the water off him better than anything else, so he wouldn’t complain. 

“You guys have magic to dry off instantly; I don’t see what the problem with getting wet is.” Percy shrugs. He’d always enjoyed the rain, never minding it when his clothes and boots would get wet. 

“How is it you are related to this barbarian, Felicity?”

“I gotta wonder sometimes too.” 

“I’m wounded.” Percy clutches his chest dramatically, pouting at Felicity with puppy dog eyes.

“You’re weird is what you are. I guess mom was right.”

“Right about what?” Percy asks with a laugh when Felicity misses a step and almost eats mud.

“That you only had three brain cells bouncing around in that pretty head of yours.”

“Aww, you think I’m pretty?”

“I think you’re obnoxious.” Felicity sticks her tongue out before shuffling towards the front of their group to talk with Solas. 

“Takes one to know one!” He calls at her back, laughing when he can hear her grumbling over the sound of rain. The others watch their playful bickering with smiles. The first few times they witnessed the scathing words, they were worried perhaps they were not on as good of terms as they thought. But they quickly realized that this was simply how they showed their affection sometimes, neither truly meaning their barbed words. 

“Getting into trouble, da’len?”

“No, I’m not. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

“Of course, I apologize. You are absolutely correct in all things- as always.” He says with a teasing bite of sarcasm, his smile growing when hers does. 

“That’s more like it! Now, if only we could get Orlais and Tevinter to think the same, we’d be golden.”

“I doubt it will be that easy, vhen’an.”

“I know; they can be so dumb sometimes. You’d think they’d see the scars in the sky from the Breach and know what issues they should be focusing on. But no, they are still gonna bicker about who should rule and what shoes look best on a Tuesday when it’s cloudy.”

“Don’t let the Spymaster hear you; I’m pretty sure she knows the answer to such a question and will give a lecture as to why her answer is correct.” Panelan snickers when Felicity gives him a solemn nod. 

“I am 100% sure that she does know the answer to that question and would do more than lecture about why she’s right. She probably has diagrams and flowcharts to pull out and show us. Why she loves shoes so much, I’m not sure, but it’s a little weird.”

“I don’t think you are in a place to be critiquing what people love.”

“Why do you say it like that, Varric?” Felicity turns to the dwarf with narrow, suspicious eyes, Varric raising his hands as if to placate her.

“Well, Chuckles isn’t exactly the most traditionally handsome man.” Felicity gasps, mouth falling open his words.

“This coming from a dwarf who can’t grow a beard! You leave Solas out of this! ...But just for the record, he is much more handsome than anyone else here!”

“You’re biased, Firecracker.”

“I am not! Just look at him!” Felicity points to Solas, who looks far from amused at the sudden turn in the subject of this conversation. “Those eyes! Those freckles! Those cheekbones! And his lips are-”

“That is enough.” Solas covers her mouth with a hand, unable to keep the blush from dusting his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

“Actually, on this, I am going to have to side with the dwarf.” Dorian turns his appraising eyes to Solas, who is unable to hold back the groan. Why did it always come to this? “His style is far from refined, and his looks are… modest at best.”

“Betrayed!” Felicity cries, clutching her chest in shock. “Imma take my raincoat back for that! ‘Modest at best.’ How rude! Solas, don’t listen to these uncultured heathens, you are super duper handsome, and I love you the most.”

“Thank you, vhen’an. Please drop the subject.”

“You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. You hurt his feelings!”

“No, they did not. I-”

“You haven’t seen his abs- because obviously, you don’t need to, only I need to- but they’re sexy as hell-”

“Felicity!” Solas groans, the blush growing on his cheeks as all eyes flicker to him. It wasn’t as if he was self-conscious about his looks or his body; he was comfortable in his own skin, what others thought be damned. 

“It’s true, here, look!” Felicity holds up her palm, her magic shimmering in the air before condensing into an image of Solas. Most mornings, Solas would spend some time meditating, focusing his mind, body, and magic all at peace together, and Felicity adored watching. The picture she shows them now is of one such instance. 

Solas was balanced upside down on one outstretched hand, the rest of his body held almost perfectly still in the air above him. His legs were crossed above him in a criss-cross applesauce kind of way, though he would always roll his eyes when Felicity would call it that. They are tilted just a little to the side to help him keep his balance, while his free hand he holds near his chest, magic condensing around it as he focuses.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Percy whistles, appreciatively eyeing the image of Solas. He was honestly surprised how fit the elf was, he’d known Solas wasn’t a sloth, but he didn’t think he would be that in shape given his mage status. 

“You’ve been holding out on us, Chuckles!” Solas turns flat eyes to the dwarf, the urge to wipe that shit-eating grin off his face almost overwhelming. He reigns in the desire to retaliate and simply keeps walking, leaving the others trailing behind him.

“He’s mine. Don’t you get any ideas in that pansexual mind of yours.”

“I’m just admiring.” Percy chuckles when the image suddenly vanishes, Felicity jabbing a finger into his chest in place of a threat. “You’re the one that showed us; you can’t get mad now that we’re looking.”

Felicity just huffs, turning her back to Percy, and walks a little faster to catch up to Solas and his long legs. She takes his hand, pulling his arm towards her and wrapping hers around it. Try as he might to act irritated, he wasn’t truly upset over what had happened, just embarrassed. 

“You really are handsome…” She mumbles, pressing her cheek into his arm, peeking up at him through her lashes. 

“I am glad you think so.”

“They’re just being dumb.”

“They are teasing you.” 

“They don’t need to be mean to you to tease me.”

“My feelings truly are not hurt, da’len; I do not care what they think of my looks.”

“People always say that, but deep down, they do. Besides, it’s still not nice to do even if you don’t mind. They could tease you about a million different things without going near your physical appearance.”

“Where did this new protective nature come from? This is not the first time they have made comments about my looks.”

“I defend you then too, I just… I don’t know, I felt like they needed to lay off. I gonna have to watch Percy pretty close now; he looked far too interested in your abs.” Felicity let’s go of his arm to pat the abs in question, lingering for a moment too long for it to be a friendly gesture and nothing more.

“Thank you, vhen’an. How is your raincoat working?”

“Pretty good, but it’s super cold. I need to see about getting a scarf or something. Maybe I can line the inside with wool or fur or something. Then again, I really shouldn’t complain, because soon enough we are gonna be in the desert and I’m gonna be dying in the heat. I’d much rather be cold than hot. I can always put on more layers when it’s chilly- when it’s hot, there is only so much I can take off.”

“If you could refrain from striping down into your smalls in the presence of everyone, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“It was a bikini, and it was cute. Didn’t you think I looked cute?”

“I thought you look far too tempting for your own good.”

“You always think that.” Felicity giggles, stopping them for a moment to stretch up and kiss his cheek. “But I’m pretty sure that means I _am_ cute, so thank you.”

“Far more than merely cute.” The conversation comes to an end as Felicity continues to giggle. Solas was relieved to see Felicity back to her bright, happy ways for the most part. When he asked what exactly she was dreading so much regarding Adamant, all she said was that she didn’t want to be responsible for how it would end, that she wanted so desperately to change it.

A few more hours of walks with the occasional skirmish with demons and corpses has them at Crestwood. Felicity made sure to have a couple soldiers come with them from the last camp they stopped at; she would leave them to watch the mayor when they left and stop him should he try to run. There was no way Felicity was going to waste resources later searching for him when she could just get him here and now.

Everyone was surprised by Felicity’s cold attitude towards the mayor, having expected the same gentle warmth she greeted the other citizens with. But with the mayor, she is terse, a little combative even.

They wait until they are headed towards the bandits before questioning her.

“It wasn’t the Darkspawn that flooded Old Crestwood; it was the mayor. There were tunnels full of people seeking shelter. A few were sick, so he flooded the tunnels to try and stop the spread. Men, women, children, entire families drowned that night. That’s who we’re fighting now.”

“Well, shit…” Varric mutters, sadly shaking his head. The man had seemed a little shifty, but he would never have guessed something like this. 

“So many lives were lost because of paranoia during the Fifth Blight, Crestwood wasn’t the only one destroyed. We came across many small villages razed to the ground, and when we would ask the surrounding ones, they whispered about a single attack; sometimes, even those were rumors and speculation. Eliora broke a little each time we found another.” Percy shakes his head, trying to banish the memories rising up, the smell of burnt corpses, the sound of crying families in mourning for all those they lost. 

Angry Felicity is far more efficient than any of her companions thought she would be. Like a well-oiled machine, they clear out the keep, following her short orders about who was coming from where and which way they needed to go next. With almost no injuries to their group, they clear out the keep.

With a snap of her fingers, Felicity changes the flag waving in the air to the Inquisition’s. This would be the first keep they have outside of Skyhold, Felicity not looking forward to getting the other two, but they would be invaluable.

“We gotta drain the lake; Crestwood can’t hold out much longer against the undead without help.” Felicity is about to lead the way when Solas grabs her arm, stopping her. “What is it-” She followed where his other hand was reaching, startling when she saw an arrow sticking out of her side. All at once, her irritation and anger leaves, the adrenaline fading away, and the pain in her side rushing to the forefront of her mind.

“Take a deep breath.” Solas quietly commands as his fingers wrap around the arrow. Even that small movement sends a jolt of pain racing through her. Her breath catches in her throat, her hands dropping her staff and latching onto his arm, keeping him from moving it. “We have to take it out, da’len; I need you to take a deep breath.” 

This was going to hurt. Solas had seen the arrows these bandits had been using, multiple little barbs on the arrowhead to make removing it as painful as possible. He’s not sure when she was hit, he doubted she knew either, the fray of the battle a blur as they systematically cleared all the rooms. 

“D-don’t pull it-!” When she gulps in a breath of air to further plead her case, Solas closes his eyes and pulls the arrow out. Her shrill cry echoes through the keep, a sob following as she falls into his arms. His magic is already there, sealing the wound, healing it efficiently, and making sure there was no infection that would linger on.

“Damn, what sadistic bastards.” Percy spits as he picks up the arrow from where Solas had dropped it. He snaps it into a couple of pieces, ensuring it couldn’t be used again, at least not without some work to fix it. 

“Shh, Felicity, I have you.” Solas murmurs as he supports her weight, her cries muffled by his robes as she sobs against him. “Does anywhere else hurt?” When she shakes her head, he sighs in relief. Adrenaline was a useful thing, but it numbed the pain that would normally stop someone from continuing. Felicity would push through the pain, but she didn’t have a high pain tolerance; she would just suffer in silence. 

“We should take a minute-”

“No, we gotta go get to Acacia and head into the tunnels. We have to close the rift.” Felicity waves her hand, stopping Varric before he could tempt her any further. With a deep breath, she pushes away from Solas to stand on her own two feet again. “I told her to meet us by the entrance to the cave; they should be there by now. They made it through Crestwood before us.”

“We can take a moment.” Solas quietly says, trying to calm her spirit, reaching out to hold her close again. She was still in pain as her body knit itself back together; it would take a while before it was fully healed.

“No, we can’t!” Felicity steps away from Solas, hating that her steps were wobbly as she turned to head towards the controls for the dam. 

“Lissy-”

With a harsh downward slash of her hand, Felicity silences Percy. She would not repeat herself. They needed to get to work because it would still be at least a month before they got to Adamant. Planning and traveling took so long here, she longed for the days of fast travel. 

Besides, the sooner they finished this whole corrupted Warden business, the sooner Felicity could stop being eaten alive by the stress.

~~~~~

“Well, look who it is! How you been, short stuff?” Bull pulls her into a hug the moment she is close. “Heard you had some trouble. You holdin’ up okay?” Felicity chokes up a little at the concern in the large man’s voice, and she forces herself to nod. “You know you’re a terrible liar, right?”

“I’ll be fine just as soon as Here Lies the Abyss is over and done with. And shut up, not all of us got training in how to have a perfect poker face.”

“A few of us did.” He mutters, his eye flickering to Adaar. Bull knew he had been Ben Hassrath, just like Adaar knew Bull was still in it. 

“You better not be mean to Adaar just because he left the Qun.”

“You knew?”

“It’s not hard to guess. And I mean it, Bull, you better keep your Ben Hassrath stuff to yourself.”

“Don’t worry about it, short stuff, I wouldn’t dream of it.” Bull hadn’t ever met Adaar before when he was Ben Hassrath, but just about all of them knew of him. There was no one more skilled at reeducating than he was, and then one day, something broke him. He was gone before they could even try and stop him, slipping through their fingers like smoke.

It took a while to find him again, and though they made no attempt to bring him back, they kept tabs on him should he shift his attention to more Tal Vashoth tendencies. The Ben Hassrath had wanted Bull to try and get him to come back, but there was no way in hell he was going to try that. Firstly because he knew what Adaar was capable of and didn’t feel like crossing him, secondly because he was sure Felicity would be none too pleased to lose a friend. 

Akari Adaar was safe from the Qun, for now at least.

“Hey, don’t hog Felicity!” Acacia pops up, smacking Bull’s shoulder until he lets go of Felicity with a chuckle, passing her off to the Herald. “It feels like it’s been forever!” Felicity once again has the life nearly squeezed out of her, and she can’t help but cheer up as Acacia happily chatters about all that they’ve been doing. 

“We all set to head in?” Everyone nods to Felicity, and in no time at all, they are lined up and heading into the caves. Varric complains as he always does, though Felicity has to agree with him when it comes to being underground. She didn’t like it one bit, and every time she looked up to see only stone, her anxiety grew. 

Percy and Panelan try to keep the atmosphere light as they walk, sensing Felicity’s ever-growing claustrophobia.

“You love ruins and that kinda stuff still, right, Lissy? I was in the Deep Roads a few years ago, and we stumbled upon a whole set of ancient elven ruins down there. It still had magical lights floating in the air with magic humming in every stone. There were so many trees and plants down there; it barely even looked like a cave.”

“Maybe you should show me someday with Solas; I bet he could find some cool memories there.”

“Was it in Ferelden?”

“Yeah, actually pretty close to Denerim. There were some Darkspawn that had found their way up through there, and we went down to deal with them. It was weird, but the Darkspawn didn’t get anywhere near the ruins. Even when we ran towards it looking for shelter from a large horde. It was like they reached a barrier and couldn’t go forward.”

“Perhaps the wards were still active.”

“That’s what Ellie thought. She said she felt heavy magic in the air. We couldn’t explore into the ruins though, all of us got this sick feeling in our gut. We tried to push on anyways, but after that, we all blacked out and woke up near the edge of the ruins. Maybe Solas can get through with his elfy magic, though.”

“If the wards are still so strong, I doubt even I could get through. It is best to let such ruins lie; it is never wise to tamper that which is beyond your control.”

Sera scoffs in the background, Solas rolling his eyes but refrains from saying anything in return. Only Felicity can feel the tension in Solas’ spirit as Percy continues to talk about the ruins, and she wonders if he knew where her brother was talking about from years ago. 

She tries to send a flicker of warmth through her spirit to him, hoping to relax him a little, but as she is still tense, all he feels is a little tickle of heat before her own fears come to the surface. 

“You do not like caves?”

“Any and all tight, dark spaces. It’s just worse in caves because I know there are literal tons of rocks and dirt that could crush me from above.” 

“Even though these tunnels have held steady for hundreds- if not thousands- of years?”

“Yep. Maybe today is the day they finally crack.” Just as she says that a few little stones come crumbling down the side of the cave, Felicity freezing up in terror as her heart stops.

“Breathe, vhen’an.” Solas carefully wraps an arm around her shoulders as he murmurs soothingly to her.

“Fuck this cave.” She shakes in his grip, unsteadied by the unfortunate timing those little rocks had. “Of course the rift had to be down here, couldn’t be a nice, harmless field of flowers and butterflies. Hell, I’d take Fallow Mire rifts over this shit any day.”

“You are doing better than you were on the field trip back in grade school. I thought you were gonna die when they turned the lights out down there.”

“It was scary, and I was like, eight! Loads of kids were scared!”

“Yeah, but not all the kids were clinging to the chaperone balling their eyes out.”

“The next time I find a ladybug, I’m gonna put it on you.” All at once, the smug grin left Percy’s face. “Then we’ll see who’s laughing. And this is Thedas; I bet their ladybugs are a hundred times worse than anything we had back on Earth.”

“You don’t like them either…”

“Yeah, but they don’t make me scream. So, unless you wanna wake up in a pit of bugs like some from an Indiana Jones movie, you best stop teasing me. Solas, can you do that thing?”

“That thing?” Solas glances down at her curiously, needing more to go off of than just that,

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, there are children present!” Percy scolds them, reaching up to cover Cole’s eyes. He quietly says that he isn’t, in fact, a child, but Percy continues to hide his eyes.

“You pervert, nothing like that!” Felicity tosses a dirty look back to Percy before focusing back on Solas. “That thing with your spirit where you help calm me down. I’m gonna be useless if I don’t chill out a little.”

“Of course, come here.” Solas beacons her closer, following her lead and ignoring the comments from Sera and Percy. Once she is within arms reach, he pulls her into his side. He whispers just how much he loves her before his spirit moves to wrap around her entire body. Felicity takes a slow, deep breath, her eyes falling shut as she tries to focus on Solas alone. 

It takes a moment, but soon she feels nothing but his cool spirit, gentle waves of calm settling her frazzled magic. When Felicity’s spirit moves to press closer into his, Solas gently pulls back.

“You cannot hide forever, vhen’an.”

“I know, it’s just so much nicer there.”

“I know, and I do not mind letting you explore to your heart’s content. It is just that we do have work to do, and it would not do to be distracted here of all places.”

“Fair point. Just a little bit longer?” He doesn’t verbally agree, but his spirit continues to shelter her, and Felicity continues to relax until Panelan gets their attention in front of them.

“I think it would be best to deal with them; we don’t want them wandering up to the surface.” Felicity turns to see what he was talking about, but Solas quickly turns her back to him, pressing her face into his chest. He gives a short nod to Panelan; Bull and Adaar stepping forward to help deal with the problem as the others continue on.

“What is it? Why can’t I see?”

“It is undead.”

“That’s nothing new-”

“They are children, Felicity.” Solas quietly whispers as he keeps them moving, wincing as he feels sorrow slice through Felicity’s calm like a knife. The sound of dying cries of the undead echo up the cave towards them, Felicity choking on a sob as she covers her ears. 

Percy moves in front, leading the group with Hawke and Fenris. They are quiet as they continue down the rather perilous path towards the dwarven ruins with the rift in them. When Panelan and the others catch back up to them, Felicity thinks she might be sick at the splatters of gore on their weapons and armor. 

Those kids didn’t deserve to drown down here and certainly didn’t deserve having their bodies used as puppets by spirits and then brutally hacked to pieces because they couldn’t be allowed to cause more havoc. 

“We will fix it; we can make sure no one else joins them.”

“We can’t save them, though.”

“We can make sure they receive a proper burial; we can make sure their families can finally have some closure.”

“Why do people have to suck?”

“Fear can drive people to do dangerous things. The mayor was no exception.” Felicity shakes her head with a frown, unable to even speak another word regarding the mayor who had sentenced all these refugees and citizens to death because a few had the Blight. 

“We gotta hurry; the sooner we get to the Western Approach, the better.” When others had asked just what to expect from their trip west, Felicity had refused to give much details. She would explain it once, as thoroughly as she could manage back at Skyhold once they got to Stroud. It was impossible for her to share the story repeatedly, not knowing that it wouldn’t be nameless, faceless NPCs dying in the siege. It was going to be people who looked up to her, who saw her as their savior, as their hope in this dark time. It would be people like Wallace and Michael, two soldiers she’s gotten to know as they were frequently posted outside the door leading to her tower, well, more of a wing in Skyhold. People like Elvira, one of the mage healers Felicity is working with to try and find some treatments for lyrium withdrawals. People who had families waiting eagerly for each new letter, for a sign that they yet lived through the chaos this world was throwing at them. 

As powerful as she might be, she couldn’t save all of them, probably not even most of them. All she could do was try and do this as quickly as possible so that Corypheus doesn’t have as much time to create his demon army. 

“It is not just your burden to bear, vhen’an.”

“It sure feels like it…”

~~~~~

The rift they find is far larger than they are used to; it was for the best they had nearly everyone here to help. Felicity dearly hoped the rift they find at Adamant wouldn’t be too much larger. That fight was hard enough as is.

The warriors dive right on in, causing a loud distraction for most, the rogue’s picking away at the stragglers. Solas focuses’ on keeping the barrier up around the warrior and Cole as they get up close and personal with the demons. Vivienne freezing and slowing those that would otherwise make it past the warriors. Dorian and Felicity focus on protecting Acacia, helping her channel magic towards the rift to close it as fast as possible.

They had been working in Skyhold to try and use their own magic to protect Acacia’s as it reached out for the rifts. So many times, it would be close to closing when a demon would attack the tether, destroying it as it wasn’t all that strong, and Acacia would have to start all over again. With Dorian and Felicity, they could use their own magic to act as a double barrier around the tether. Why it was easier for them to do it as opposed to Vivienne or Solas, no one was sure, though Felicity had a theory.

She knew each mage had their own magic, spirit, soul, what have you. And though each one is unique to the mage, there were bound to be similarities between them. Similar magic’s no doubt work better together, so it would make sense that mages more like Acacia herself would be able to work with her particular brand of magic better than those who were at odds with her.

Felicity didn’t say anything, but she was pretty sure Solas could have done a better job than both Dorian and her combined as he was able to manipulate his spirit so effectively. It would be child’s play for Solas to harmonize his magic with Acacia’s, but he still had the cover of apostate hobo to keep up, so she wasn’t too surprised he left the tether protection to Felicity and Dorian.

Adaar alone hangs back by Felicity and Acacia. It was for the best, because as the tether formed and the rift grew weaker, the demons tried even harder to get to the source of the power threatening to lock them out of the waking world. 

By the time Acacia has the rift stitched back up and slams the last little bit closed, she is completely drained. The only thing she can feel in the entire left side of her body is pins and needles. As she tries to shake away the feeling, she’s unsure if it was better or worse than just straight-up pain. 

“Fuck you, rift!” Felicity shouts, flipping off the empty air for good measure. Not a heartbeat later, she is turning to the rest of the group. “Alright, time to go; I want out of this damn cave.” She doesn’t wait for any sort of response, turning on her heel and walking out the way she thought the exit was through, only to have Adaar stop her with a heavy hand on her shoulder.

“It is the other direction.” His low voice is quiet as he turns her towards the door on the opposite side of the large room. 

“Oh… I knew that, I was just testing you.” With a wave of a hand, she creates a shimmering bridge over the water, unwilling to get her feet wet in the murky water.

“Where was this trick twenty minutes ago?” Bull grunts, stepping onto the bridge, absolutely soaking wet from fighting in the water.

“No one asked.” She shrugs, grinning as Bull continues to grumble. “Alright, everyone, please keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.” Felicity does her best impression of an amusement park employee before snapping her fingers, the bridge suddenly lurching forward, moving them closer to the door without anyone moving a muscle.

“Where is this trick when we’re walking for miles?”

“I can’t keep it up that long, Bull. Besides, the exercise is good for us.” He grumbles some more, not actually irritated, but if this got Felicity giggly and cheerful like normal, he would keep up the act for the rest of the trip.

When they get out of the cave system, Felicity falls to the ground on her back, beaming up at the clear skies with a breathless laugh. Vivienne looks down her nose at her as Varric joins her, Solas smiling indulgently as she throws her arms out in the grass. 

“The Deep Roads are the worst; I don’t think we need to go down there. Maybe we can just let the mysterious Titans stay mysterious… but I really wanna know. Shit, we’re gonna have to go down there, aren’t we? Hey Varric, what are the chances they’ll let me explore in spirit and not in actual body? Like, I could float around like a ghost, they’d barely even notice I’m there.”

“Yeah, having a spirit Inquisitor is definitely out; there is no way that’s gonna fly.”

“Damn. Maybe you’ll have to go without me then.”

“Oh no, if you don’t have to go, then I’m not going.”

“But Varric-”

“Don’t ‘but Varric’ me, Firecracker. No one hates the Deep Roads more than this dwarf, and I have no plans on going down there for anything.” Felicity laughs as Varric crosses his arms, the dwarf trying to look stern, but it doesn’t work with the soft grass and bright sunlight all around them. “I’m serious. There is no way I’m going back down there.”

“Uh-huh, we’ll see about that. If I’ve gotta go, then so do you! I need someone to commiserate with over our terrible surroundings.”

Varric hoped and prayed that they could get by with simply sending some random agents down to the Deep Roads, and there was no need for Felicity or Acacia to head down. Because he knew if either of them asked him, no matter how much he despised it down in those caves, he would say yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is a picture I found one night of Solas in the meditation (or yoga or whatever) position that I tried to describe. Of course, now I cannot find it again, and I've no idea who made it, but it's amazing. I don't know how to put a picture in AO3 otherwise I'd show you, but I swear to god it's out there.


	36. Chapter 36

Getting to Stroud is surprisingly easy given the shit they fought through the first half of their trip to Crestwood. The undead have stopped rising, and though there are still quite a few rifts to deal with, everyone can agree they’d rather face demons than undead villagers.

“Hawke, if you wanna head straight to the Western Approach, we can meet you there with the main forces. When we get close, I’ll ride ahead with Acacia and some backup, and we can meet Erimond at the ritual site. If we’re lucky, they won’t have had the chance to get far. Varric, you wanna go with them too?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“Yeah, go ahead! It’ll be just like the old days.” Felicity grins, thinking back to the hours she spent playing as Hawke with Varric and Fenris at her side. In a matter of minutes, Stroud is packed up, and they all are wishing Hawke good luck and safe travels. Stroud seems like a nice guy; Felicity was feeling more guilty about usually leaving him behind in the Fade when faced with the choice between him and Hawke. But when the choice was between Alistair and Hawke, it was always Hawke that stayed behind. Felicity shakes away the dark, guilty thoughts and forces a smile onto her face as she waves enthusiastically at their retreating forms.

She needed a distraction if she was going to remain sane in the coming weeks it took to finish her most hated questline.

That night as they camped once more, Felicity rolls onto her side in the tent to look at Solas, who was wide awake, still pouring over some new tomes they had found. 

“Solas?”

“Yes, Felicity?” He doesn’t look up, not that it bothers Felicity. She knew he was listening to her even if his eyes weren’t on her; Solas was a master at multitasking. 

“Can you tell me what happened in Arlathan?” He freezes, going as still as stone, not even breathing as he processes her question. Slowly he lifts his eyes to her, seeing timid curiosity in her bright eyes as she waits for an answer. Every fiber of his being wanted to deny her, distract her, do anything but relive those dark times, but he knew that he had been putting this off for long enough. She deserved to know; she _needed_ to know.

“I will show you.” His voice is quiet, dread already filling his chest at the thought of her seeing what kind of a world it was back then, what all he had done to try and help The People.

“It’ll be okay, I promise.”

“I know, vhen’an, and you must learn what happened. I just… it will not be pleasant.”

“I’m not going to judge you, you know that, right?”

“You should wait until you have seen what I did before saying that, Felicity.”

“No, I don’t need to. I know you- _I love you_ \- I’m not going to judge what you did. Just like how you don’t judge me about my choices. If you want, we can wait until this is done-”

“No, I have put this off long enough. Are you ready for bed? It will likely take a few nights before I can show you everything.”

“Yeah, I’m ready whenever you are. Are you showing me in the Fade?”

“Partly, yes. But instead of drawing upon the memories lingering there from passing spirits, I will be drawing upon my own memories to show you.” Felicity felt a pang of guilt as she studied Solas’ pale face. He looked about as excited about this as Felicity did when she had to go to the dentist to get fillings. 

“I love you,” Felicity whispers as she leans up to kiss his forehead. Solas lets out a long sigh, a small smile tugging up at the corners of his lips, but does not reach his eyes.

“I love you too, vhen’an. Sleep for now.” A spark of magic passes between the two, Felicity’s eyes falling shut and her body going slack in Solas’ arms. With a steadying breath, he lowers her back to her bedroll before lying down next to her and entering the Fade.

It would be a long night.

He stands there, watching as Felicity aimlessly floats around in the Fade waiting for him to wake her up into his memories. Solas focuses on creating the Thedas before everything went wrong, pulling back the point of view, so it was as if they were looking at a map. It doesn’t look a whole lot like the current map of Thedas, more forests covering the continent that is there presently. Once he has it as close as he can get it, he draws Felicity to consciousness in the Fade.

“Oh, wow…” She breathes out in awe of the picture he’d created, thinking back to her favorite images of Earth taken from the moon. “This was Thedas back then? It’s so green!”

“The Elvhen war against the Dun’Himelan and my own war against the Evanuris changed a great deal of the map. They were not small scale battles.” Solas closes his eyes, taking another deep breath before launching into what was surely going to lead to more questions than answers. The Fade changes to match his words, Felicity watching utterly entranced at the history she was being shown.

~~~~~

There were not always elves walking Thedas. The first creatures to call Thedas their home were the titans. Two titans, to be specific. The ancient dwarves had names for them, or so we assumed, but they were struck from their histories long before we arrived. When we learned of them, we called them Tarasylathe and Durgenathe, The Stone, and The Sky. For countless eons, they alone roamed the land. The dwarves will say that they eventually grew lonely and sought to create others to populate the world, though the truth of that will likely always remain unknown. That is how the first dwarves were made by the titan’s own hands. They grew in numbers beneath the surface, working and growing and developing their own society. As they grew in numbers and power, they began to wonder why the titans alone had the ability to create life, to use magic. 

In their jealousy, they sought out ways to separate the titans from each other, ways to steal their power. And when that proved fruitless, they sought out ways to kill them. The wars were catastrophic, but eventually, the dwarves succeeded. The titans fell, and their power finally left their bodies. Durgenathe was felled deep underground, its heart yet remaining to this day, not truly dead to the world. Tarasylathe was not so lucky; its physical body was wholly destroyed in the battles that followed its death. 

Their deaths brought about the magical world as we know it today, save for the Veil, of course. Lyrium comes from the physical blood of the titans, and the Fade- magic itself- from their souls, their spirits. It was not an even division of what powers belonged to which titans. Durgenathe, after its demise, accounts for much of the lyrium they still mine today, less of its spirit making up the Fade. Tarasylathe was the opposite, more of its power creating the Fade, less of it turning into lyrium.

For thousands of years, the dwarves tried to harness the power the titans had held with no success. But ultimately, they were not created for such power, and eventually, they stopped trying, focusing on building their empire and the Deep Roads. Or at least, most did. Some, still desperate for the power the titan’s held, continued to search for a way to harness the energies locked away in lyrium. 

It was long after I created the Veil that they began truly terrible experiments to try and attain the power from lyrium. They had tried changing the lyrium on a fundamental level so they could absorb it, but that only led to disasters ending in death. Though I wish they would have continued with those than what came next.

After no success on their plans to change lyrium, they tried to make something that could then bind the lyrium to them. What they created next still plagues the world today; they created the Blight, or at least what would soon grow to be the Blight when it reached the outside world. 

It took little time for them to realize even they had gone too far, but the damage was done. Nothing they tried to destroy it with worked, so they contented themselves with locking it away, moving on to try other experiments. It was not entering the Fade that created the First Blight; it was not the Maker’s punishment for reaching too far. Though the Magisters did play a part in unleashing it upon the world. They needed lyrium, always more lyrium, and their tampering in the Deep Roads broke the seal shortly before they entered the Fade. 

But that is history for another time; for now, I shall try and explain how the Elvhen began.

As time drew on after the death of the titans, fragments of their souls began to coalesce, slivers of their power coming together, and eventually culminating in the creation of the First Born, of me and many others. 

But we were divided from the moment we awoke. The Elvhen were formed from the magic of Tarasylathe, the Dun’Himelan formed from the magic of Durgenathe. Both were elves, though very different insofar as their bodies went, and they were gifted with different types of magic. The Elvhen found it easier to master the elements, to control the very essence of the Fade itself. The Dun’Himelan were far more skilled when it came to creation magic, making new things from nothing and changing what was into what it could be. 

We were not all brought to life at the same time, not even in the same place. I woke up in my forest, in the heart of what is now Ferelden. Vunora woke maybe a few hundred years after that. Smaller fragments of the titans continued to combine into new life, and it wasn’t long before the elves walked every corner of Thedas. The original ones to come into being were the First Born, and we were the most powerful having more of the Fade within ourselves. 

As time went on, as more elves began to appear and find each other, The People began to grow. The further down the lineage went, the less powerful, though they still would have been a force to be reckoned with in this day and age. The Elvhen population dominated most of the Thedas you are familiar with, my people having had a greater desire to conquer than the Dun’himelan. They remained where they were, content to grow their cities to the north and focus on their studies, pushing the boundaries of what was possible. 

I remember the first time I met Vunora; she was the first person like myself that I had ever come across in the forests. It was a wild place back then, untamed and perfect.

This is where it all began for me.

~~~~~

Solas races through the forests, knowing each twist and turn like the back of his hand. At his sides are two wolves playfully racing against him. He’s about to leap into the trees to run among the branches and avoid the rocky terrain ahead of them when there is a flicker of magic off in the distance. 

He comes to a screeching halt, suspicious eyes narrowed in the direction of the disturbance. A feral sound is ripped from his chest, and he turns to run in that direction. Whatever dared to disturb his forests would pay; Solas wouldn’t allow anything to destroy and ruin that which he claimed as his.

It doesn’t take long to find the source of the new magic he felt, and he prowls around the edges of the new clearing trying to figure out what happened. Swirls of blue magic warp around his arms as he prepares to fight. The wolves remain at his heels, their hackles raised as they enter the clearing behind Solas, only dropping the growls when Solas’ magic falls.

Instead of some ghastly creature or a wayward spirit, Solas sees a woman sitting in the tall green grass. She was stunning- something Felicity felt a little uncomfortable about as she noticed she wore not a stitch of clothing- her skin pale with vibrant red hair and deep blue eyes. 

“Who are you?” Solas asks, the magic in his voice making the woman flinch, her wide eyes growing larger as she looks up at the imposing man who had walked up to her. 

“I… do not know. Who are you?” She speaks, the words feeling unnatural on her tongue, but they seem to make sense to the man. 

“I am Solas.” He stands a little taller as she studies him. When she smiles and starts giggling, he deflates a little, confused. 

“You _are_ Pride.” 

The Fade shifts back towards the forest from above, the image of Solas and Vunora talking disappearing into the trees.

~~~~~

I am sorry, Felicity, the stronger memories draw me in. It is hard to separate myself from them, to stand as an onlooker as opposed to a subject. I met Vunora not long after she came into being. She was peaceful, calm, always adding quiet wisdom to my thoughts and actions. As the other First Born created cities, the precursors to the Elvhen Empire, I was content to continue to learn, to grow in my magic and understanding. Those elves who managed to survive in my forests created cities along the edges and in the mountains. They left me alone, for the most part, and I did the same. 

Eventually, the Elvhen began to clash with the Dun’Himelan, though after I was pulled into the chaos, it was easy to see the Evanuris pulling the strings in the background. For thousands of years, we existed together in peace, the people trading and cooperating despite their differences. But the Evanuris grew greedy of the powers and knowledge the Dun’Himelan possessed, and they began to twist people against them.

It was a slow process, it always is, but we all were immortal; it was not like they did not have the time to wait patiently for their plans to come to fruition. 

I heard news of the growing conflict from the various elves daring enough to enter the heart of my forest, and all I could think was how foolish they were. The few Dun’Himelan I had met at that point were brilliant, capable of magic I could scarcely understand. Vunora, in particular, was entranced by their ability to shapeshift. She had only seen me do that before, a recent talent I had gained from years and years of practicing and experimenting. 

She also thought they were terribly beautiful in their natural bodies.

Just as word had gotten to me regarding the Evanuris, word of me and my strangely wild magic- at least in comparison to their own- reached them. 

Dirthamen and Falon’Din were sent to find me and gather information for Elgar’nan, he and Mythal taking the place as leaders in the chaos. They were not… stealthy in their observations. I did not take kindly to being watched, and I attacked them on numerous occasions when I would find them following me. 

In hindsight, that was probably what sealed the deal in their minds, seeing how well I could fight. They thought to make me their pawn, an agent to further their war against the Dun’Himelan, but I refused. They were making a mistake, but I was content to leave them to their devices, believing the Dun’Himelan would win in the end regardless. So long as everyone left me to my studies in the forest, I was content. 

I believed I had driven the twins away, but in reality, they went to get reinforcements. June and Andruil joined them the next time, Elgar’nan himself coming down to bring me back. 

I fought them for days; I had the upper hand as I knew the terrain like they never could. But Andruil slipped away in the fray, went and hunted Vunora down. She had already started to fade away by that point, nothing I tried helping her regain the strength she lost. The rage I felt when Andruil came running through the woods dragging Vunora behind her… I have scarcely felt such rage since.

~~~~~

Solas’ smile is vicious as June falls into one of his traps, several runes activated at once, rendering the man immobile, silent, and in no small amount of pain. Black lightning arches through the trees, destroying all in its path as it races towards Solas. He dodges just in time from Elgar’nan’s attack, hissing out curses as he sends bounders flying through the air in retaliation. 

Dirthamen was still helping Falon’Din recover, Solas having quickly downed the violent man, knowing full well his brother would drop everything to help him. Once he dealt with Elgar’nan, all he needed to do was track down Andruil and send her running for the hills. Surely this would be enough of a demonstration of his power for them to leave him alone.

He had to focus on Vunora, on finding some way to heal her, help her. She would not last another thousand years at the rate she was going…!

The crackle of new magic in the air sends a shiver down his spine, Solas turning to the side when he hears the witch cackling in the distance. If she thought it was funny, no doubt it would be sick and twisted. 

Death at Elgar’nan’s hand would have hurt less than what Solas sees next.

Andruil appears from the dense woods, a chain in hand, and she roughly yanks it forwards with another bark of laughter, her crazed eyes studying Solas, waiting for his reaction. She reveled in the pain she saw there as her newest prisoner was pulled forward. 

Vunora, bound and gagged, stumbled forward, beaten within an inch of her life. Blood and dirt cover her body, and she struggles to stand, falling when Andruil rips on the chain again. It’s connected to a collar around Vunora’s throat, and she chokes as she falls, trying desperately to breathe as she is yanked around again.

The anguished sound that was ripped from his chest shook the very ground they stood on. Felicity flinched, her own breaking heart and pain disrupting the memory.

~~~~~

As if merely binding her were not enough, Andruil put her own curse mark onto Vunora. With a thought she could attack Vunora with her spirit, she would suffer unimaginable pain until Andruil relented. Just as Dirthamen would drop everything for Falon’Din, they knew I would do the same for her. 

I have scarcely felt such a desire to kill, and not just to take a life, but physically hurt them as much as they had me.

I went back with them to where they were building Arlathan, where Elgar’nan was trying to create an empire. Never had I seen so many people gathered together; it was… unsettling at first. They had tests and hoops for me to jump through before letting me ‘join’ them in leading The People, before giving Vunora her freedom- though the curse mark still remained- but she was at least away from Andruil.

As much as I loathed being there, I quickly found myself enjoying the quiet time away from the soon to be Evanuris. I had previously contented myself with learning from the Fade and spirits, experimenting on my own with new spells and such. But there were libraries full of knowledge I hadn’t even considered before. 

It was a few hundred more years before the fighting against the Dun’himelan was reaching its breaking point. They did not want war. They did not even want the skirmishes Elgar’nan pushed upon them. But still, the Evanuris continued to push, spreading poisonous lies to The People to twist them against their peaceful counterparts.

There was never any desire for peace on the Elvhen side; the Evanuris were greedy and wanted what the Dun’himelan had. But they were not stupid, they knew they could not simply start a war for no reason, so they had been setting up plans to make their own reasons. 

Plans that unfortunately included me.

~~~~~

Solas had gone through the closest Eluvian they had to the Dun’himelan. The rest of the journey would have to be done on foot, which didn’t bother him any. What did bother him was the fact he was sent on this diplomatic mission at all. It was clear that peace wasn’t anything Elgar’nan wanted, so sending him as a liaison seemed far too suspicious to let slide. 

As far as he was concerned, this fight with the Dun’himelan was a waste of time. There was a great deal of knowledge they had, and different kinds of magic they were capable of that Solas couldn’t even dream of. And, if rumors were to be believed, they were capable of assuming animal forms just like Solas could- though on larger scales than he. He was curious to see if they did it the same as him or if perhaps they had a different way of shifting. 

Solas takes the form of a large black wolf when he hears the sound of fighting off in the distance. He prowls closer, his sharp eyes missing nothing as he closes in. In a clearing, Solas finds the source of the noise.

A small band of what looked like Dun’himelan merchants were there, carts laden with all manner of goods. Women and children were there, only a few guards present that were currently trying to face nearly a dozen fully armored Elvhen soldiers. Several bodies already litter the ground. Those not fighting were trying to find what weapons they can and defend the children. But simple civilians would be no match against trained soldiers. 

Solas growls, long and low, sick to death of the Evanuris having their people attack and kill whenever and wherever they can. He leaps forward, doubling in size in the air and landing between the soldiers and their target. For a brief moment, everyone freezes, the two young Dun’himelan warriors terrified for a moment that they had another target to face. But instead, Solas lunges forward, two unsuspecting soldiers caught in his teeth. There is not even any time to scream as they are immediately turned to stone and tossed to the side. 

The fight escalates, the Elvhen soldiers grow desperate at the sudden shift of power, and they begin to recklessly cast anything they can think of to fight. Fire and lightning fill the clearing, the Dun’himelan civilians screaming, but before Solas can react, one of the warriors has a barrier up around them. But it did not just stop the attacks, Solas amazed to see it sent every ounce of magic ricochetting back at those who had cast it to begin with. 

The Elvhen were clearly not expecting that, and while they suffered from their own attacks, Solas dealt with the last few. Once the last was taken care of, silence falls over the clearing as all eyes turn towards the wolf, the Dun’himelan wondering if they were going to be the next victims. 

The two warriors move to stand between Solas and the others, weapons drawn as they wait to see what he will do. When he shifts back, head held high and brows raised, he waits for the men to make their choice. 

“Why did you help us?” The warrior with daggers who had created the fascinating barrier asks, ignoring the other young man’s hisses. 

“Because I wanted to.” There was suspicion in their eyes, but Solas wasn’t going to offer any other reasons as that truly was the only one he had. “Why did they attack?”

“Why do any of your people attack?” He spits back at Solas, not that he’s offended or even surprised at the venom in the man’s voice. 

“I have been sent to act as a mediator in hopes our peoples can come to a peace.”

“Well, you can start by having your men stop attacking us on sight. That would bring about peace pretty damn quick.”

“They are not my men, and this discussion can wait. You have families to tend to-” Solas is cut off by a shrill cry and a soft thump on his leg. One of the women is currently being restrained by others, desperately reaching for and calling out to the young boy at Solas’ feet. He’s wielding a chunk of wood that had broken off of one of the carts, and he pulls back again to strike his leg again. 

“You leave us alone!” He yells, voice shaking as he cries, the makeshift weapon connecting again with Solas’ leg. His body, as crystalline as every other Dun’himelan Solas had seen, was nearly as clear as the two warriors, and swirls of warm orange bright along his fingertips and fading as it went up his hand and wrist. 

“You will get nowhere attacking from the front. If you can get behind them, there is a gap in their armor behind the knee.” Magic shimmers over Solas so that he looks as if he is wearing typical armor the soldiers wear. He turns to the side to show the boy the gap he had just described. The quiet, sure tone of Solas’ voice throws everyone watching for a loop, the fact he was giving the small child lessons in how to better attack his people even more confusing. 

The boy doesn’t hesitate, swinging the chunk of wood at the back of his knee, and though it wasn’t nearly enough to actually affect him, Solas lets his knee give out and stumbles forward a little. 

“But, your first priority needs to be protecting your family.” Both Solas and the boy turn back to look where his mother is still fighting to run to him. “Go.” The boy, giving Solas one last attempt at a stern look, quickly turns and runs back towards the other. The woman is quick to pick him up and hold him close, scolding him as the others move to hide the pair from view. 

“Who are you, really?”

“I gave my name. That is who I am.”

“There is no way you are one of Elgar’nan’s pawns-” The young man is cut off at the growl that is ripped from Solas’ chest, his magic shaking the ground and darkening the skies above them.

“I am no one’s pawn.” Solas spits, daring the man to try and suggest such a thing again and see where it gets him.

“The rest of your First Born are.”

“I am not them.” Before Solas can say anything more, another group of Elvhen come running into the clearing, blades drawn. Before any screams or cries can rise from the terrified Dun’himelan, Solas waves a hand. His magic lashes out, every soldier turning to stone before quickly crumbling to dust. “And I have little patience for repeating myself.”

Solas changes back to his wolf and takes off running, heading north towards the Dun’himelan’s main city. Anger still burned through him. At Elgar’nan for taking him and Vunora away from the forest, at Anduril for essentially enslaving Vunora, at the other Elvhen First Born for their greedy, violent ways.

The darkened skies continue to follow him as he runs, the Dun’himelan watching him run off in silence.

“Why must you always antagonize people, Shalelan?”

“Why must they be so easily antagonized, Islanil?” Shalelan grumbles right back at him, turning around to start gathering the remains of the five warriors they’d lost. He had thought his heart was going to stop when he saw his son running up to the Elvhen man, when his foolhardy little boy went so far as to attack him. Every fiber of his being wanted to race forward and pull him back, but he couldn’t risk everyone else’s safety. Thankfully, Solas hadn’t taken offense, they were lucky he let his boy live, let any of them live, when clearly Elgar’nan was having many of his men attack Dun’himelan wherever they could. Everyone gets to work gathering up what they could salvage from their broken carts, even little Panelan doing what he could to help once he escaped his mother’s grasp. His eyes kept drifting off in the direction Solas had run. 

He couldn’t quite decide if he wanted their paths to cross again or not.


	37. Chapter 37

He shares a little more than night, but once they get close to the actual peace talks, Solas stops, quickly changing the Fade to something a little less painful for him to look at. He takes a few slow breaths before waking them both up, Felicity taking a few moments to return to consciousness.

“You don’t have to keep going, Solas.”

“I cannot, at least not tonight. When we stop by Skyhold, I will try to continue, but I should warn you, it will be dark. They were not pleasant times for anyone, and there are few bright memories I have of that time.” Felicity wiggles her way across the tent and onto his bedroll, her legs tangling with his as she clings to him.

“I’m sorry.”

“What could you possibly be sorry for? You were not even alive back then, vhen’an.”

“I’m sorry that you had to suffer through all this, I’m sorry that they didn’t just leave you alone in the forest, I’m sorry that the Evanuris are assholes.”

“That they are.” Solas shifts underneath her, rolling them to the side so he can better curl around her. Felicity can feel how unsteady his spirit is, how dark and depressed he is, and she focuses on moving her spirit closer. Her magic fills the tent, warmth filling the space and sinking into every inch of Solas. 

“Ar lath ‘ma vhen’an.” He murmurs on a long sigh, her spirit helping him relax enough to drift off to sleep. And not the ‘I’m going to wander the Fade’ kind of sleep, but actual unconsciousness that would let him rest. As Felicity tries to fall asleep, she focuses on waking up in the Fade. Solas may not be Fade walking tonight, but she had questions, and she knew just who to ask. Felicity just hoped they would be there because she wasn’t nearly as skilled at searching out spirits as Solas was. 

Much to her surprise, all her focusing and imagining actually worked. She drifts off and slowly comes to in the Fade, in much the same place that she and Solas had just been. With Solas, moving and thinking in the Fade had been as easy as it was when she was awake. But without Solas here focusing everything, it felt like moving through molasses, everything just a little too slow to be considered normal.

Once she has her bearings, she starts to look around for any spirits. 

The first ones she finds are little whisps; Felicity’s first instinct is to look around for a Whisp Mother that would be lurking around like they do in Skyrim. Instead of that or attacking, the whisps dance around her, tickling her with little flickers of their magic. Felicity is distracted, chasing them around, and doesn’t notice as two spirits materialize at the edges of her dreams.

Wisdom and Honor watch as Felicity runs around, the Fade shifting from a dense forest to an open field, flowers and tall grass filling the clearing she chases the wisps in. 

“I am impressed that she managed to remain conscious in the Fade without the Dread Wolf here to guide her.”

“She is stubborn. It is through sheer willpower that she woke herself up here. Though her will alone isn’t enough to protect her from the effects the Fade has on new Dreamers.” Wisdom, her voice soft and deliberate, watches Felicity with fond eyes. She had watched as this small woman had slowly won over Solas’ heart, finally healing what was broken all those ages ago.

Wisdom couldn’t be any happier for Solas.

“You’re here!” Felicity gasps, happily waving to both spirits as she runs towards them. Wisdom creates a large dome around them, and as Felicity passes the edge, she finds herself moving and thinking back at a normal speed. “Oh, thank you so much. It’s hard getting used to it here.”

“You are not used to the Fade walking without him. Your body isn’t used to the effects of the Fade quite yet.” When Felicity finally gets close enough to study the spirits, her suspicions are proven correct. “You’re Vunora, aren’t you?” Wisdom’s smile grows in response, taking a moment to study Felicity as well.

“A part of her, yes. When she returned to the Fade, part of her soul helped to give me the opportunity to become myself, set me apart from the wandering whisps.”

“I won’t let the mages bind you; I’ve already got Josie looking for some amulets to keep that from happening.”

“Is that what happens in your game?”

“Yeah, mages bind you, but by the time we get there, it’s too late. Even breaking the bindings doesn’t save you and Solas loses you. But it won’t happen! I promise!”

“I believe you, da’len.” Felicity grins at the term of endearment, wishing Solas could be here for the proper introductions. Hopefully, he won’t be upset that she came here looking for answers without him.

“You sound just like him! It’s really nice to finally meet you. And it’s great to see you again, Honor! You guys are just the people I was hoping to find.”

“We know.” When Honor talks, there seems to be magic in his very words. They demand attention, and Felicity can’t help but think how useful that would be. Maybe he can teach her how to do that; meetings with nobles would be so much easier if she could just make them listen to her for a moment. 

“Creepy, but useful. Saves me the trouble of stumbling around trying to find you.” 

“What is it you needed us for?” Felicity turns back to look at Wisdom, a serene smile on the woman’s face as she waits for an answer. It was easy to see why Solas liked Wisdom so much, she was calming to be around, and no doubt, had all the best stories. 

“I have questions about Arlathan and the Evanuris and everything. I don’t need the histories. Solas is showing me them; I just feel weird interrupting him with random questions, so I figured I would try asking you guys. You were around back then too, weren’t you?”

“We were.” They say in unison, Felicity flinching at the power in their voices again.

“Is that- is it like an on-purpose thing? Or does it just happen?”

“Is what on purpose?”

“That ‘magic in your words’ thing. It’s disorienting.”

“It is a product of us manifesting ourselves here in your little section of the Fade. We can try to limit it, but there is no true solution I can give you for stopping it entirely.”

“It’s fine; really, I don’t mind, just… just don’t give me weird looks when I randomly wig out.” Felicity plops onto the ground, motioning for them to do the same, giggling when Honor sits down, the severe spirit looking out of place among the colorful flowers. “So I really just need some background knowledge about everything: culture and general history and whatnot. Maybe like, topics or questions to avoid? I don’t wanna make Solas hurt any more than he already is.”

Wisdom smiles, feeling Felicity’s spirit unconsciously reaching out to Solas and urging him to come join them in the Fade, desperate to comfort him and ease his suffering.

As they get into it, Solas makes it to them, hiding around the edges of the Fade as he tries to figure out what drew him here. It doesn’t take long before the answer is presented to him, Felicity’s light shining out from where she sits amongst the flowers. It is a little surprising to see her conscious in the Fade, but more shocking than that is her company. Wisdom and Honor sit with her, talking about Elvhen culture and what was socially acceptable and expected of people.

Felicity listened intently to everything Wisdom and Honor said, asking follow up questions in rapid succession. She wasn’t digging for answers where his history was concerned, just getting a working knowledge of what it was truly like back then.

She would never cease to amaze him.

Solas doesn’t interrupt, watching her interact with the spirits for a while before slipping from the Fade again to rest some more. 

He’s back to his usual self come morning, though Felicity could still see dark thoughts lingering in the back of his mind. She leaves the tent before Solas does, helping Panelan and Percy make breakfast. And by helping, she really means mercilessly teasing them as she tries to make some hot cider for everyone. It always tasted better on cold days, and this morning was definitely chilly.

No one had told her the mornings were this cold, and as she sips the cider waiting for the food to finish cooking, Felicity begins to shiver. Maybe she could magic herself an oversized coat or something. But then she’d have to make one for everyone, and she wasn’t sure how many coats she could make and sustain before her magic stopped working. 

Just as she’s about to find out the answer to her question, a warm fur coat is draped over her shoulders. Solas stands there with a small smile as he sends a flicker of his magic to keep the coat warm for the foreseeable future. 

“Aren’t you cold?” 

“I will be alright. I am not nearly as susceptible to the cool air as you are, da’len.”

“You want some cider? It’s a perfect replica of what we used to get every fall from the apple orchard that was near our house. It’s best warm on cold days like this, then in the afternoon when the day warms up, it’s excellent cold.” He carefully takes the cup she offers up to him, settling down onto the log Felicity is perched on as he takes a slow sip. 

Felicity was right, it was good, and it beat the hell out of the tea Solas knew Panelan was making.

“Did you sleep okay?” Felicity lowers her voice, leaning over to gently bump his shoulder.

“I did, thank you. How did you fare?” He wondered if she would try and hide the fact that she didn’t get as much rest as he did, that she spent much of the night talking with Wisdom and Honor. Instead of any deceit or attempts at lying, her whole face lights up.

“Great! I got myself to the Fade all on my own, and I found Wisdom and Honor- or, well, I guess they found me, but still!”

“Did you need them for anything?”

“I had questions about back then, about culture and society and everything. That way, when you show me what happened, I will understand it a little better and won’t need to interrupt you for the small things.”

“I would not mind you interrupting.”

“I know, but you’re going through a lot. I don’t wanna add to it. Besides, it was nice to see Honor again, and I finally got to meet Wisdom. She’s so nice!”

“She has wanted to formally meet you for a while now.”

“That’s what you meant by one day I would meet a part of your friend, she’s Wisdom.”

“Part of her, yes. Sometimes it is as if she is the same person. Other days there is little of Vunora there. Regardless, she is a dear friend. I am glad you enjoy her company, as well. How was Honor?”

“Good, they always called you by your old title though, and every time, for a heartbeat, I would be like- who is that? Why are we talking about them? Oh, wait, yeah, that’s my husband.” Felicity giggles as Solas rolls his eyes, unsurprised that Honor would continue to call him the Dread Wolf as opposed to his name. 

She is about to ask him to explain the Fade versus the Void a little more when her eyes catch on his head. What would normally have been a smooth- sometimes even shiny- surface was shadowed. Felicity jumps to her feet, startling Solas, who is about to do the same when she grabs his face, tipping his head down.

“You’re hair! You’re growing your hair out!”

“You nearly stopped my heart, Felicity.” Solas chides as he tries to calm the racing beats of his heart, but he can’t help the smile as he feels her excited spirit bursting within him. “But yes, I am, though it will take some time to grow back out to anything I am used to.” Felicity runs her fingers over his head, giggling at the rough texture.

“I’m super excited, but you’re not gonna be my egg boi anymore...” Solas sighs at her teasing, pulling her down into his arms to kiss her temple. A comfortable silence falls over them as they pass the cider back and forth, Felicity growling stomach interrupting them as the smell of cooked ram fills the air. 

“If you would like, I can try and further enchant the bracelet I gave you, make the rune a little stronger to fight off the cool temperatures.”

“Can you do that while we ride? Won’t it be hard?”

“No, it is not hard. I only need boost the power that is already inlaid in the stone.”

“Oh, then sure, have at it. Though it’s gonna feel weird not wearing it, I haven’t taken it off since I got it.” Felicity holds out her wrist to Solas so he can take off the bracelet, shivering when, after it’s gone, Solas traces his fingers over her skin. 

“Hold still, vhen’an.” Solas chuckles, a little lower than usual, and it has another shiver working its way down her spine. “Felicity.” He scolds but continues to skim his fingers over her wrist. 

“It’s not my fault-!” His magic flares as he finishes the temporary rune he created on her, and Felicity’s mouth snaps shut lest she let out the loud moan that threatens to fill the air. He snickers at her reaction, knowing full well that this would be how she would react and enjoying every minute of it. 

Solas leans forward, kissing her slow and sweet, the faint tang of the cider an addictive addition to the kiss. 

“Lissy and Solas, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Felicity pulls away first with a groan. If she had a dime for every time Percy recited that nursery rhyme to her, she’d be rich. “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes babies in the baby carriage!”

“You’re such a pain.” Felicity groans as she throws the now empty wooden cup at him. Percy deftly catches it, launching it right back at her at a rather terrifying speed. Luckily Solas’ reflexes are sharper than hers, and his hand snaps out to grab the cup before it hits its mark.  “Dude!”

“What?” Percy is nearly on the ground laughing so hard at Felicity’s expression.

“You could’ve killed me!” Felicity runs over to start pummeling him, but that only makes his laugh harder.

“Don’t be so dramatic.” It takes only a few more moments for Felicity to join him on the ground, wrestling and laughing and quickly waking up the rest of the camp. One by one, they stumble out, bleary eyes met with the sight of Percy and Felicity covered in dust and dirt rolling on the ground. 

“No fair, your arms are longer than mine!” Felicity squirms, Percy pinning her to the ground, one hand keeping both of her arms above her head. “Panelan, help me, he’s cheating!”

“How is he cheating?”

“How am I cheating?” Both Panelan and Percy ask at the same time, Felicity just huffing as she sees them wearing identically mischievous grins. “I’m just using what I’ve got.”

“Adaar!” In the blink of an eye, the large Qunari is there, already wearing his armor. Without waiting for any sort of request, he picks Percy up by the back of his armor as if he were a kitten. 

“Now who’s cheating?! Put me down!” Felicity cackles as she dusts herself off and stands, her hands landing on her hips as she watches Percy kick and struggle in Adaar’s grasp.

“I’m just using what I have available to me, just like you did. Okay, Adaar, you can put him down now.” Felicity beams up at Adaar, looking far too angelic for the mischief she was causing.

~~~~~

They end up getting back to Skyhold much quicker than they left it, many of the nights spent riding through the darkness, taking turns sleeping. Felicity had been sending messages to the Advisors. They were preparing the armies to march, Josie and Leliana using their connections to get extra help as they traveled. Extra soldiers or mounts from various nobles, more supplies, and food to pick up, so they needn’t overburden themselves bringing everything to the Western Approach. 

Felicity has been brainstorming with Percy and Solas, trying to think of a way to try and hide their soldiers so Corypheus and his agents wouldn’t catch word of their armies coming to take out the corrupted Warden’s. While they rested, she could create Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion. It was supposed to be for a hundred people, but Felicity figured they could squeeze in a lot more if they didn’t worry about fancy decor and the like.

She practiced to see what all she could create and sustain when they actually stopped for camp one night and found that her limit was two portals to different mansions. After trying to create a third, she promptly passes out, sleeping for nearly sixteen hours to try and bounce back. As she rests, Solas carefully studied the portals while they remained near them, trying to figure out a way to- if not create his own- then at least help her in making them so she would not be so drained. 

Percy brought up Transport via Plants. They could bring the whole army through a tree if they had one in Skyhold just like it. It was doable; Felicity sure that they have at least one large plant somewhere in Skyhold that is also near or in the Western Approach. The only problem was Felicity hadn’t touched any of the ones in the Western Approach. She could try and teleport herself there and hope she doesn’t break the Veil even more, or do something similar to Hawke’s group and just ride ahead and hope to find a tree that matched one she’d touched in Skyhold. 

Traveling through the trees like that would certainly save time, not to mention the soldiers would be at the top of their game not having to worry about walking across the continent and trudging through miles and miles of hot sand. 

“I do not think it wise to try teleportation by yourself, vhen’an. Too much could go wrong. We cannot risk losing you simply to get there a little faster.”

“A lot faster. But yeah, I get it. Besides, I don’t wanna mess too much with the Veil. It’s already pretty fragile.”

“We send you ahead with a few people, and you could probably make it there in decent time if we pushed the horses. Most of the troops could then travel through the portal and meet you there. If we can get some siege equipment from some Orlesian nobles, we wouldn’t have to worry about trying to get our own stuff there because it most likely won’t fit through the portal.” Percy, thrilled at the thought that he will get to magically travel, continues to strategize, but Felicity starts to tune him out. He should meet with Cullen; no doubt, they would have a grand ole time discussing battle strategies and whatnot. 

Maybe he would play chess with their Commander. That’d be cute.

Skyhold loomed above them in the mountain, their party shifting to a more single-file line to climb the zigzagging path up the side of the mountain. This was always Felicity’s least favorite part, they were home, but it would still be an hour or so before they actually made it into Skyhold. And that time estimate was, of course, assuming there weren’t any big carts trying to come down from Skyhold. 

_ “We’re almost back. Any meeting I need to do before showering? You can reply to this message.” _ Felicity hears Josie startling on the other end of the message, not that she can blame her. It was weird to suddenly hear voices in your head.

_ “Nothing so urgent, Inquisitor. Whenever you are finished unpacking and are cleaned up will be soon enough for our meeting.” _

_ “Thank fuck, I swear there is more dust and dirt on me than skin.” _ Josie quietly laughs on the other end of the message before everything falls silent. 

“We gotta get you guys an elevator. This is torture.” Percy frowns up at the mountainside. Just like that, Felicity’s face lights up.

“We can see if we can build lifts! How cool would that be?! We would keep the same path and everything still, just in case, but we could have lifts carry people all the way up to Skyhold! Shit, I gotta talk to Josie about that, that would be epic!”

“Maybe by the time we come back from the desert, they’ll have it up and running! We should see if we have any dwarven engineers, see if we could get something like the lifts they use in the Deep Roads. Maybe a few smaller ones for people and a bigger one for carts and such.” 

Percy and Felicity happily bounce ideas back and forth as they slowly get higher and higher, Solas watching the pair with a smile. He never had siblings or a family, no one tied to him by blood, and over his many years, he had seen far too many families tear themselves apart over petty differences. It was nice to see Felicity was close with her brother and that he cared as much for her as she did him.

There is a small crowd gathered in the courtyard to welcome everyone back to Skyhold, but for the most part, people are buzzing around trying to ready everything for the coming battle. When Felicity sees a familiar stern expression in the crowd near the keep’s main door, she breaks away from the others, nearly knocking Dáithí over.

“I missed you! It feels like it’s been forever!”

“How was the trip?”

“Awful, I hate rainy, swampy, undead-y places. And it’s not the same training with Adaar when you’re not there to scowl and kick my ass despite me getting better.”

“It happens less and less often that I kick your ass these days, da’ean.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me, mister!” Felicity says as she pulls back, though her smile is brilliant and her glow just as bright.

“I can see that.” Dáithí can’t help the small grin that breaks through to the surface. He had missed her. Skyhold seemed darker without her there flitting around the keep spreading her particular brand of sunshine and happiness. “They installed the stained glass windows in your room. The lady Ambassador is very proud of the finished product.”

“Oh, I can’t wait! I love stained glass! Which ones did she pick? I told her to surprise me. I hope she didn’t pick the Chantry-esque one.” Felicity grimaced at the thought of having some holy visage watching over her as she slept. 

“No, she did not pick a Chantry style. Come, I think you will like it.” Felicity doesn’t need to be told twice, happily hurrying into the keep, making a beeline for the back stairway that leads to her tower. When Josie had given her those quarters, Felicity was amazed at all the space and rooms in it and more than a little wary of rooming there. Who was going to fill all these other rooms? What if they thought she was playing favorites and got angry when she had people room closer or farther away? 

She needn’t have worried, though, because Josie handled it all. Felicity’s guards stayed closest to her room, Claire just next to them. Acacia and many of her Inner Circle stayed there as well, though Vivienne opted for other quarters, and Bull chose to remain with his Chargers. There was a little shifting around so Percy could stay close to Felicity as well, and as the rooms filled up with all her friends and family, Felicity couldn’t be happier about Josephine sticking her up here. 

Felicity grabs the edge of the doorway, quickly nodding to the guards who stand there before using the momentum to slingshot herself around the corner. 

And straight into an armored chest.

“Makers breath, are you alright?!” The whole world spins as Felicity tries to get her bearings, pain exploding from her head where it had collided with Cullen’s breastplate. 

“H-hey, Cullen, I see you’re still wearing your armor everywhere.”

“I’m so sorry, Inquisitor, I- I was just-”

“No, no, don’t worry about it, you don’t need to explain yourself. Can you help me find the steps to sit on? I can get rid of the pain, but the dizziness I’m stuck with.”

Carefully, as if she were made of glass, Cullen helps guide her to the steps. Just as she sits down, Dáithí, Solas, and the others make it around the corner. In the blink of an eye, Solas is on his knees in front of Felicity, magic sparking on his palms as he cradles her face.

“Vhen’an-”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! I was running, and I shouldn’t have. This is completely my fault.”

“I was only going to ask if you were alright.” Solas quietly murmurs, grinning when Felicity opens her eyes again to a less distorted world. His magic always did wonders. 

“I’m okay, really. I already healed the bump and bruise; I just didn’t know how to get rid of the dizziness. Thanks, honey.” Felicity leans forward, kissing his cheek, giggling when everyone else pointedly looks in any direction but theirs. “You guys are too funny.” Solas helps her back to her feet, Felicity kissing him again partly in thanks, partly just to mess with everyone else. “Sorry to run into you, Cullen. I’ve got some windows to check out, though, so I’ll see you later!” Just like that, she is off running up the stairs and around the various corners.

“She’s never going to learn to slow down.”

“No, I do not think she will,” Solas says with a sigh at Dáithí’s words. “What time is the meeting?”

“Lady Josephine said we will meet whenever the Inquisitor is ready. I assume she will want a moment to breathe before doubling down on our battle plans.”

Solas nods before following Felicity upstairs, though at a much slower pace in comparison. 

“I still do not think she should be joining us at Adamant.” Cullen shakes his head, worry creasing his forehead. He didn’t want Acacia there either, though for a different reason. Having Felicity face Corypheus at Haven was more than enough, and it would be nothing compared to the coming siege against Adamant fortress and the Gray Wardens within. 

“I can’t disagree with you, and from what I have heard, she doesn’t wish to be there either. But she will be, and there is nothing we can do to stop it.”

“Maybe Solas can convince her-”

“He’s tried.” Dáithí and Solas had an ongoing back and forth of letters regarding Felicity. Her training, her magic, and whatnot, eventually getting into the coming battle at Adamant. Felicity had taken Hawke aside before they left for the Western Approach and told her what exactly they were stepping into. 

Hawke couldn’t believe the words that left Felicity’s mouth, and she left quite shaken with the others. Felicity had asked her to try and keep her knowledge to herself, at least until they got there, and begged Hawke not to go rushing forward into the mess as she knows Fenris is wont to do.

When asked by Solas, Felicity said she would explain it once to everyone else and answer what questions she could. There was no way she was going to be able to tell and retell the story ad nauseam for everyone, not if she was going to remain sane. Both men worried about how Felicity would handle the coming days and weeks if just thinking about them depressed her this much.

“I’ll let Josie know she’s back and admiring the windows.” Cullen politely nods to Dáithí before turning and walking to Josephine’s office, but his mind was preoccupied. Acacia was already in the tavern with Bull catching up with the Chargers, but Cullen hoped he could borrow a moment of her time before the meeting. 

Ideally, he wanted to wait until he could take her somewhere a little nicer than his office to give her the lucky coin, but with the coming days as dark as they are, he didn’t want to wait. One hand knocks on the door to Josie’s office, the other rubbing the coin nervously, just the thought of being alone with Acacia sending anxiety bubbling up within him.

Dáithí follows Solas up, grinning when he can hear Felicity loudly gushing about the windows from all the way down where he was. 

“They are beautiful! It’s like a whole magic forest! With little butterflies and everything!” She runs around, inspecting every inch of the detailed stained glass windows that now decorated her rooms. “Solas, look! I bet the sunset looks marvelous through these! Have you ever seen anything as lovely?”

“I have seen something lovelier by far.” He quietly whispers as he presses a kiss to the tip of one of her ears. 

“I don’t count, you sap!” Felicity giggles as she elbows him, Solas unable to stop the smile that rises up in response.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not stained glass.”

“You did not ask if I had seen lovelier stained glass, only anything as lovely at it.”

“You’re such a dork. You knew what I meant.” Solas just shrugs, taking one last deep breath of her warm scent before stepping away with their packs. “Dáithí, these are magnificent!” Felicity runs up to him, grabbing his hand and pulling him around to show off the windows.

Felicity took her sweet time bathing and eating dinner, only reluctantly changing out of her pajamas and back into regular clothes for the meeting. Dáithí promised to be there with her, Felicity also dragging Percy along when she and Solas make their way to the War Room.

Acacia is there with the Inner Circle, the Advisors quietly discuss something about Orlais when Felicity walks in. She isn’t surprised by anyone in the room until her eyes settle on a handful of strangers standing around the far right side of the large table. 

“Hello there.” She awkwardly waves, turning her eyes to the Advisors hoping they could clue her in on who she was meeting. Josie steps forward with a polite smile, her pen stilling over her clipboard. 

“Inquisitor, these are the ones King Alistair and Queen Eliora sent over to help with finding a cure for the Blight. Raina Lowrey, an accomplished alchemist, and mage. She trained in the Hossberg Circle until they called upon her aid. On her left is Florian Moran, a Warden from the Free Marches. He spent many years studying the Gray Warden histories, and there is no one better versed in such matters. Lastly, there is Gianette De Santangel, a healer originally from Antiva specializing in herbal remedies.” 

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Florian answers for all of them, his voice low and raspy. Felicity is tempted to ask if he needs to sit down. Both he and Gianette are farther on in their years, though Florian is definitely older, whereas Raina seemed closer to Felicity’s age, maybe a few years older. 

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.” Percy grins, moving closer to give a hug to Florian and Gianette, both of them smiling up at him. “I was wondering who was gonna get sent over. Nice to see you guys again!” Felicity notices that Percy doesn’t even look at Raina, and she doesn’t spare him a glance either. 

“I see you already know Ser Percival. This is Inquisitor Felicity Maria Pennel, her personal guard Llewellyn Ecenrode and Adaar, as well as Ser Solas, the Inquisitions expert on the Fade.” They get polite nods, Felicity smiling as Gianette elbows Percy, speaking fluent Antivan to him, which he responds to in equally perfect Antivan. Felicity is about to turn back to Josie to start the meeting, but her eyes catch on Raina, who is not at all stealthily staring at Solas with heated eyes. Solas, of course, is ignoring her, but that doesn’t make Felicity feel any better.

Felicity wasn’t the sharing kind when it came to her lovers. That feeling only intensified when it came to Solas as he was literally her soulmate.  His spirit warms within her, reassuring her, but irritation still flares when Raina casually brushes against Solas as she walks out with the others. 

Felicity really regretted having Ellie and Ali send over help.


	38. Chapter 38

“Livius Erimond, one of Corypheus’ rats, is currently teaching the Orlesian Gray Warden’s- the mages at least- how to use blood magic to bind demons. He is telling them it is to create a demon army they can use to march into the Deep Roads and find the Old Gods, killing them before the Blight can infect them. That’s a load of horseshit, though, at least as far as to the purpose for the demons because, in the process of binding the demons, the mages inadvertently bind their minds to Corypheus. He gains two mindless slaves for the price of one. They are gathering in Adamant, trying to bring a fear demon, the Nightmare, though to this world. It is the Nightmare that is helping Corypheus control the demons. When we go to face them, they are already mostly finished drawing it through. Erimond is there for a moment, calling the corrupted dragon onto the battlefield to try and buy them time.”

The faces of everyone around the table are pale and horrified, more than a few pain at the thought of the Gray Wardens getting so twisted from their original purpose. Solas, though, looks absolutely livid. Felicity, halfway through explaining why the Warden’s wanted a demon army, has to close herself off to his emotions. His fury was too intense and impossible to ignore.

“While trying to chase Erimond down, Warden-Commander Clarrel is wounded, and in sacrificing herself to wound the dragon, destroys a section of the part of the fortress. The Herald and those of the Inner Circle that was with her- along with Hawke and Stroud- end up falling. Acacia ends up creating a rift, and they all end up in the Fade. Physically.”

Gasps and curses fill the room, the tension palpable as Felicity keeps her eyes locked on the large table. 

“They fight through the Fade to try and get to the rift the Warden’s were trying to open, the Nightmare in their way. It’s… it’s a hard fight, endless waves of demons attacking all the while, the Nightmare doing it’s best to try and unhinge and unsettle everyone there. Divide them, break them, anything to try and distract them from the task at hand. A spirit is there who helps the Herald as they push through, taking the form of Divine Justinia. She is most of the reason the Herald makes it through the Fade, and it helps her remember the memories the Nightmare had stolen from her.”

Emotions clog Felicity’s throat as she continues, tears filling her eyes but not overflowing just yet.

“At the end, when face to face with the Nightmare, the Herald would always have to make a choice. There was not time for everyone to run to the rift and escape; the Herald, Hawke, and Stroud left on the other side, the Nightmare in the way of their escape. Someone would have to stay behind to distract the demon so the other two could escape. They would run to the rift while whoever was left fought and- and died.” 

Finally, she lifts her eyes, studying those in the room with her. 

“I-I don’t wanna leave anyone, but I don’t know how to save everyone.” The tears finally spillover, Felicity taking a shuddering breath as she tries to steady herself. “Once the Herald was out of the Fade, she had to choose whether to keep the Gray Wardens with the Inquisition or banish them from southern Thedas. If they stay, they are still subject to corruption from Corypheus, but we lose all contact with them if they are sent away. I always thought that meant Corypheus got his hands on them after all.”

“I will stay behind-”

“No!” Felicity shouts, pointing a finger threateningly at Stroud.

“Inquisitor, I-”

“No, this isn’t a topic up for debate. I’m not leaving anyone behind there to die. The Wardens are going to need you, and the world still needs Hawke and Acacia. So you all are making it out of there. I’ve left people behind there enough. I’m not doing it again, not when you guys are all real. We lose enough of our men getting to the rift in the first place, and even more as they try to keep the demons away from the outside of the rift. So much is lost, I will not add to that if I can help it!” 

Magic resounds in her words, filling the air with power many in that room had never felt before. 

“I am not sacrificing anyone. Not you, not Hawke, not Alistair, not Loghain, no one! I don’t wanna hear any more of this self-sacrifice crap from any of you. That’s not how this Inquisition is going to run.”

For a moment, silence fills the room as every try to find the words to say in the face of her determination, Cullen speaking up first. 

“Adamant was made before modern siege equipment; we can use that to our advantage. It would be a great help if you could show us where the worst of the fights were from your game. We can better plan out where the bulk of our men need to be and where we should bolster our forces.”

“I’ll try, I doubt it looks exactly the same as the game’s attempt at it, but I should be able to give general areas to watch for.”

“I have to go into the Fade?” Felicity looks towards Acacia, who looks like she could pass out at any moment.

“I mean, that’s what happened in the game. That’s the only way you got your memories back and how we severed the Nightmare’s control of the summoned demons.”

“Well, shit.”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

Felicity is absolutely drained three hours later when they start to think about finishing up, at least for tonight. Cullen and Leliana are working on getting some blueprints on Adamant Fortress for Felicity to study. Still, until then, they are just going from memory, Cole a great help when it came to remembering where things were.

Slowly the Inner Circle starts to file out, not strictly necessary to most of the planning, and eventually, it is just Acacia, Felicity, and the Advisors there.

“I just have a few more things to go over, Inquisitor, a few letters from some well known noble families that have been waiting for responses from you personally. Also, a few disputes over who should go where in the city, there has been some tension between several of the merchants, but they all say they will concede to whatever you decide.”

“Yeah, sure, might as well.” Felicity slumps over in her chair, carefully resting on the War Table with a groan as Josie pulls out a stack of letters and paperwork. “Can’t you just forge my signature?”

“It will not take long, I can assure you.”

“Promises, promises.”

Cullen and Leliana take their leave next, the Commander pulling a still very shaken Acacia out as well. Another hour goes by as Felicity, under Josephine’s instruction, writes several formal letters to the various noble families who wanted to talk to her. She is in the middle of another fancy, overly wordy sentence when she finally passes out. Ink splotches on the parchment from where her hand drops the pen, Felicity slumping over the rest of the way onto the table. Josie looks up at the soft thumping sound, eyes going wide at the sight of Felicity slumped over, her cheek partly resting on some of the wet ink. 

Josie pokes her head out the door, motioning to Panelan, who is sitting on the bench a few feet away.

“If you would be so kind as to get Ser Solas, the Inquisitor seems to have fallen asleep.” 

“Of course,” He heads off, easily finding where Solas is, his spirit still furious regarding what the Gray Wardens were doing. “Felicity is ready for bed, it seems.” Solas nods, snapping the book he was trying to read shut before walking back with Panelan to the War Room. Josie is cleaning up what letters they had gotten finished, smiling to the men as they walk in, her eyes softening as she watches the tension leave Solas’ shoulders. 

With Panelan’s help, Solas picks Felicity up without waking her, and she snuggles closer into his arms as he starts the long walk back to their room.

Raina had been lurking around the second level of the library, peering down at Solas periodically, not that the elf paid her any mind. Irritation was flaring up again now that he notices she had wandered down and was now walking towards them with a sharp gleam in her eyes.

“I didn’t know that babysitting the Inquisitor was part of your duties as well; the Ambassador only listed you as an expert on the Fade.” As she talks, Raina’s voice takes on a sultry tone, her eyes heating up as she studies Solas. But he was in no mood to play games, certainly not with someone who clearly looked down on Felicity. “Surely there is someone more lowly to do such demeaning tasks. You there,” She calls out to Adaar, for once out of his armor as he is coming back from the baths. “Why don’t you take the young Inquisitor back to her rooms. Ser Solas and I have some matters to discuss.”

Panelan bursts out laughing, leaning over, only barely holding himself up with his hands on his knees. Solas did not find it nearly as funny, though watching Raina get flustered and irritated over Panelan’s laughter was satisfying. Adaar walks up to them, but instead of looking at Raina for any sort of instructions, he looks to Solas.

“Do you need help?” This was, of course, not in regards to Felicity, but Raina. 

“No, Adaar, thank you. We were just leaving.”

“I must insist I talk with you regarding my own studies on the Fade-”

“It will wait until morning.” Solas snaps, tone harsh as he turns away and continues to walk towards their room. Panelan, still snickering at the audacity of that woman, is quick to follow. She would be lucky if Solas ever talked to her again with any sort of intent at conversation. What was more likely was her talking at him and Solas irritatedly dismissing her.

They hurry off, leaving Raina furious and embarrassed and, unfortunately, that much more determined to have Solas. She takes a step as if to follow but freezes when Adaar loudly clears his throat. 

“Only the Inquisitor and her Inner Circle may enter that wing without express permission from her to do so.” Adaar’s tone leaves no room for argument, and he quickly follows after the others, pausing at the guards posted by the door. “She is not to be allowed in unless the Inquisitor tells you otherwise.” Both men nod, and Adaar keeps walking, the door shutting behind him, but on the other side, he can hear the sound of the guards moving into place to block anyone who would try and follow.

Solas tucks Felicity under the covers, pressing a kiss to her forehead before pulling back and moving to one of the couches. The fireplace jumps to life with a flick of the wrist, Panelan trying to school his features before joining.

“It is good she is a sound sleeper; I imagine she would have told that woman exactly what she thought of her.”

“Maybe Felicity should. At least it would bring that woman down a peg.”

“I can’t believe she tried to order Adaar around.” Panelan is snickering again, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“With any luck, they will not be staying here long.” Or rather, if they knew what was good for them, they wouldn’t stay long, Solas having little patience for those who try to hurt Felicity.

~~~~~

“Vhen’an, it is time to wake up.” Solas gently rouses her in the morning when he hears the servants outside her chambers. Slowly, Felicity opens her eyes, though it takes a while before they can focus on anything. When her brow furrows, Solas starts to worry. “What is wrong?”

“I don’t feel so great.”

“This has been happening more and more often, Felicity. Perhaps we should visit a healer later today. They may be able to find a cause where I am not.” Solas helps her sit up, his heart aching at the miserable feeling that fills her entire body. “They have brought up some food; maybe you will feel better after eating.” Solas rubs her back as she sits there for a moment gathering the will to move, his magic seeping into her to look for any sort of sickness, but comes up short.

“Maybe.” She looked utterly unconvinced but stood up and sat down at the table, Solas opening the door with a wisp of magic to let the servants in. The Thedas equivalent of a traditional breakfast on Earth is spread out over the tray. There eggs and bacon and sausage and hashbrown-esque cooked potatoes. Usually, Felicity would be thrilled, but one whiff of the meal has her stomach rolling uncomfortably. Her face goes pale as she quickly stands, running past the servants and to the washroom around the corner from her quarters. 

“Vhen’an?!” Solas follows on her heels, with worry growing as he watches her lean over the first bucket she finds and starts to vomit. He holds her hair back, his magic trying to settle her stomach at least a little. Finally, she stops, falling back onto the floor with a sob, tears wet on her cheeks. 

“What the hell, Lissy? You gave me a heart attack running around like that.” Percy stands in the doorway with Panelan and Adaar, concern plain on everyone’s face as they study Felicity.

“I can’t eat that, I can’t- please don’t make me.”

“No one will make you eat anything, Felicity.” Solas quietly assures her, but just the thought of the food has Felicity lurching back towards the bucket to start heaving again.

“Man, what did you eat last night?”

“Not last night, this morning. Breakfast was brought in; she did not even take a bite before running here.” 

“What was it?”

“Eggs, bacon, fried potatoes- nothing out of the ordinary for her.”

“Kinda greasier food, though?” Percy slowly asks, his eyes not leaving Felicity as she sits back down. Solas, confused as to why that would matter, turns to look at Percy, only to find him staring at Felicity. Or rather, her abdomen. 

“I suppose? Why?”

“Um-” Percy looks around, making sure no one else was hanging around behind them before pushing Panelan and Adaar into the small washroom and shutting the door behind them. “This is- there isn’t a not awkward way to ask this. Have you and Felicity… you know, done the deed?”

“I do not see how that is pertinent-” All the blood drains from Solas as he connects the dots. His head snaps back to Felicity, who is too busy trying not to vomit again to follow the conversation. With something specific now to look for, Solas sends another pulse of his magic through her, choking on his breath when he feels a small answering flicker that was not from Felicity. 

“But I am- she is not- it-” None have seen Solas this flustered. When he looks to Panelan, who is the only one who would truly understand the weight of what was happening, he sees his friend looked just as shocked as he should.

This should not be possible, but here they were.

Felicity gasps as his emotions finally push past the hazy barrier of her nausea, and she eventually turns to look at him. 

“Wha-what’s going on? What’s wrong? Solas?” No one answers her, which only makes her more worried. “Guys? You look like you’ve all seen ghosts. What the fuck happened?”

Still, no one can utter a single word.

“Hey! Someone tell me what happened!” Felicity’s sharp tone draws them from their minds, all of them looking to Solas to start explaining.

“Not here- we are _not_ doing this here.” Solas stands, picking Felicity up, and walks back to their room. A flicker of magic has her cleaned up again, another making sure every trace of the food that was brought up is no longer there. He sets her down on the bed, her worried eyes locking onto him when he kneels on the ground in front of her.

“What happened?” Her voice shakes, getting more and more upset with each passing moment. 

“Vhen’an, I think you are with child.” Her face freezes, devoid of any and all emotion as she processes his words. 

“You… you _think_ I’m pregnant? You don’t know? Wait. Wait, wait, wait, _I’m pregnant?!”_

“I felt a spark of magic in you that was not your own.” Felicity looks down at her abdomen as if she would suddenly be able to see a baby bump, but nothing looks different. Her brow furrows as she focuses her spirit, searching herself for what Solas said he felt. It takes her a few moments more than it did him, but sure enough, Felicity feels a little spark of fire there. Brighter than her spirit, though it had the same steady calmness that Solas’ had. 

“Oh my god…!” She whispers, tears filling her eyes and spilling over. “I’m not ready! I can’t- C-Corypheus and the- the Breach and- fuck, and Adamant!”

“Shh, shh, vhen’an, it is okay, it will be okay. I am-” He didn’t know what he was. There was a part of him that wanted to apologize, but he didn’t think he was sorry. He was overwhelmed, afraid- terrified- but that didn’t matter right now. Felicity mattered; he could work through his own emotions later. “I love you, my heart.” 

“What if I’m a bad mom?” The three men watching Solas and Felicity all feel their hearts break at her quiet whimper. “What if I can’t do it? Raise a kid? I just- oh god, I don’t wanna mess up!”

“Lissy, there is no way you could possibly be a bad mother. You are the most loving and caring person I know.” Felicity looks up at Percy with frightened eyes, and he walks closer to join her on the bed. “Besides, you won’t be doing this alone. You’ve got Solas and me and these two at the very least.” Panelan and Adaar both nod, Felicity’s watery eyes looking at both of them to see if they were telling the truth.

“There’s no OBGYN’s here. What if I need a C-section?”

“There’re midwives, and you forget there is magic here. It’ll be okay, Lissy.” She nods, though looking no more sure of his words than at the start, and turns back to Solas.

“You’re not mad at me?”

“Of course, I am not mad, vhen’an.” They stare at each other as Solas tries to open his spirit so she could feel exactly how not mad he was.

“Alright, we’ll give you guys some time.” Both Adaar and Panelan look like they want to argue to stay, but Percy sternly points towards the door. “They need some time.” There was no arguing with his tone, and eventually, the three of them walk back out the door. 

“I- I didn’t mean to get pregnant.” Solas snorts out a little laugh, his hands coming up to frame her face, wiping away tears that are quickly replaced.

“Most people do not, though the blame for this lies with me. I did not think you could get pregnant, not from me. The First Born could not reproduce with other elves who were not also First Born, and even then, having a child from such a coupling was rare. I assumed you were not First Born. There have not been any others walking Thedas since the Evanuris were locked away, and I fell into Uthenera.”

“How am I a First Born? I had a mom and everything.”

“You did on Earth, but here, you had a new body made for you, an elven body. Evidently a First Born body.”

“Do you think Percy is a First Born too?”

“I do not know. He is not a mage, so it will be hard to tell.” Both their eyes drop back to her still flat abdomen, silence hanging between the two. 

“You truly aren’t upset?”

“Truly, I am not. I cannot lie to you, Felicity. You know this.”

“I know that I know, but I- this is- we didn’t talk about this or anything, and now it’s here, and it just- I’m scared. Why isn’t it harder to make babies? It takes more time and concentration to put together a puzzle than to create life. Why aren’t those flipped? And I’m no good at puzzles. Percy always had to help me out when I used to make them when we were younger. There was one that was of the galaxy, and I really loved the picture, but it took me almost a year to finish it with his help. But now I’ve gone and made a baby in the middle of the apocalypse, and everyone is going to be mad-” Solas leans forward, slowly kissing her to interrupt her downward spiral, and push her back to lay on the bed while he props himself up above her.

“No one is going to get mad at you, Felicity. If they do, I will show them the error of their ways.” Felicity’s laugh is watery as she studies him, taking a shaky breath before trying to speak again.

“You’re really scared too…” Of course, she would be able to feel his fear, even if she didn’t fully understand the reason behind it. Solas should have known better than to think she wouldn’t try and help him first.

“Never in my life have I had this much to lose, vhen’an, I cannot help but worry.”

“...Can I have a hug?” Solas’ heart melts at her soft plea, and he moves to lay next to her on the bed, pulling her into his arms and onto his chest in one smooth move.

“Anything I can give is yours, Felicity. You need only say the word.” 

Time slips by quietly as they remain on the bed processing all that had changed in the span of just a few moments this morning. Having gone to Josephine when Felicity sent him a message asking him to send her up, Percy sits in his room torn between worry and joy. Of course, Josie had asked what it was the Inquisitor needed, and he could only say that she needed to speak with her. He wasn’t going to go around sharing the news; Felicity could decide when and where and who she told when she was good and ready. 

The light knock on the door pulls Felicity and Solas from their peaceful cuddling, and after one more slow kiss, they stand. Josephine walks in, her expression a careful mask of polite indifference. Still, on the inside, she was worried about just what Felicity would need to talk to her about so urgently. 

“Good morning, Inquisitor. What can I do for you?” Her quill and clipboard raise, readying to write down Felicity’s every word. And she does just that, writing down the four words Felicity says, about to ask if there was anything else before it clicks in her mind what she wrote down. “I-I sorry, Inquisitor, I think I heard you wrong. What was it you said?”

“We think I’m pregnant.” Josie’s eyes go wide as she looks down at her clipboard, rereading those words there on the paper as confirmation that she really had heard Felicity correctly. 

“Truly?”

“I- I wouldn’t kid about something like this, Josie.”

“And you are the father?” She turns to Solas, irritation flaring in him at the question. He crosses his arms and raises a brow, not bothering to answer such a foolish question. “My apologies, of course, you are, I just… This is… We will have to move up your wedding plans.”

“I have wedding plans?” This was news to Felicity. Last she heard, Josie was still trying to find a way to make it more legally official in the eyes of nobility around Thedas. She didn’t know there were actual plans already getting set up.

“Well, nothing solid quite yet, but I was working on it. I will talk with Claire; it will need to happen before you head to the Western Approach. By the time you come back, you may already be showing.” Josie is scribbling down a scarily long list of things she needed to get set up now, along with her regular duties.

“Is it possible not to have a huge affair? I just- I’ve got enough to stress out about, and I know that sounds terrible because you’ve got a mountain of work too, but I don’t- I can’t handle one more thing to drag me down right now.”

“I… I will see what I can do, but unfortunately, I can make no promises. As your position of power is rather unique, people are begrudgingly willing to accept a marriage between yourself and another elf who does not carry the same power. There will, of course, be demands from such nobles to be present.”

“They wanna use my wedding to help boost their own reputation?” Felicity was getting used to nobles being absolute shits, but for some reason, this took the cake. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably, and this time it wasn’t related to being pregnant. 

“Essentially, yes.”

“I don’t want that! I’m not- I’m not getting married for them, or for power, or for anything like that! I’m already married!”

“This is the only way they will see it as valid-”

“That’s a ‘them’ problem. I don’t mind having a ceremony and whatever, but I’m not gonna get married in front of a slew of nobles who just wanna use me to get the upper hand over their peers.”

“Inquisitor, we must-”

“No, Josie, I’m not going to do it. I’m sorry for all the work you’ve put into this, but I’m not going to play games, not in my own home. It’s going to be bad enough I’ll have to do that shit in Orlais. I’m not just a thing, not a title or a figurehead or a spectacle. I’m not going to be used and passed around to help some noble pricks’ ego.”

“...I understand. I will get a smaller ceremony set up before you leave.”

“I- I’m sorry, Josie. I don’t mind it being official with the Chantry or whatever- I don’t even know if they really do elven marriages- I just don’t want it to be a spectacle.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Inquisitor.” Josephine smiles to Felicity, still writing, before launching into finding her a healer and midwife to check her over. They would need to keep her pregnancy a secret, at least for a little while longer until after the marriage. Children out of wedlock is still a concern here, which Felicity thinks is silly, but concedes to Josie’s points. They were already going to be stepping on toes; there wasn’t any need to further antagonize people. 

“I would still like to tell Dáithí and Dorian, maybe a few others. As long as they don’t blab, it’ll be okay, won’t it?”

“That would be just fine, Inquisitor. I will go see about getting the midwife up here before you come down for the day.” Josie sweeps out of the room, Felicity immediately leaning into Solas.

“Should I have just let her invite the nobles?”

“No. You would not have been happy, and you are the only one who’s feelings should be taken into account in these matters.”

“Your feelings matter too.” Solas grins, pressing a light kiss to her forehead as he pulls them towards the couch.

“Out of the two of us, I think your opinion should hold more weight.” As they sit on the couch, quietly talking and joking around, Solas continues to search out the small flicker of magic within Felicity. It was barely there at all, just a hint of light and life, but it fascinated Solas. 

The thought was overwhelming that after everything he’d been through, after everything he’d done, he was not only bound to a miracle of a woman, but they were going to have a child together. He was going to be a father. Solas couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Never once had he ever thought he’d have a family, not back in Arlathan nor any time since. But here he was doing just that. 

Wonder began to grow as that fact slowly sunk in. Fear and anxiety still gripped his chest at the thought of losing them, at the thought of the Evanruis getting their hands on them, but he couldn’t deny the happiness that was welling up.

He had a home, a family, a place he truly belonged.

How could he not be overjoyed?

Dáithí comes to Felicity’s quarters at Percy’s behest, his sister having messaged him for one final favor today. Dáithí was a little worried when Felicity hadn’t come down for breakfast or their morning training, but he had known it had been a trying month. She deserved some quiet time. 

“Felicity? Are you okay?” He calls through the door, startling when she pulls it open only a heartbeat later, and yanks him into the room. 

“You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father.” Felicity blurts out, wanting to finally voice what she’s been feeling since long before now. Dáithí was family, everyone knew she considered him as such, but she wanted to put into words what he meant to her. “My whole life before here was just me, and Percy, and my mom. It was good, it wasn’t like I had a terrible childhood or anything, but I always wondered what it would be like to have a dad that gave a damn. And then I got here, and you were- I don’t- I don’t wanna sound creepy or overstep. I mean, it sounds like I already have, but you- you are just really great-, and I wanted to tell you first, so you didn’t find out from someone else because that’s a shit thing to do, and you deserve better than that...” On and on she continues, nervously pacing as she tries to say everything all at once.

Dáithí freezes as Felicity rambles. He is both surprised and not surprised by her words. It had been some time since he considered Felicity as just a student or superior. For a moment, he’s not sure how to react. He’s not creeped out or upset over her words, just surprised that she is voicing them, even if it was only in the privacy or her own chambers. 

“...and I didn’t want to spring everything on you all at once, because I’m still not sure how you feel regarding someone like me as a daughter type person, but you’re going to be a grandpa too.” Dáithí startles, physically, at her words. He grabs her shoulders, stopping her nervous pacing, and leans down to look her dead in the eyes.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Yeah.” Felicity winces, eyes falling shut as she waits for his reaction. 

“You’re pregnant.” Not a question this time around, a statement. And not an angry or disappointed statement either. “With a child.”

“I mean, I assume so, but I suppose I don’t _really_ know without an ultrasound. Could be a velociraptor, I guess.” Felicity jokes, keeping her eyes shut and waits for something more from Dáithí than just him restating the facts she had supplied. Dáithí’s hands raised to her face, waiting until her eyes open before speaking.

“You are really pregnant?”

“I don’t know why people would think I’d joke about this. Yes, I’m pregnant; Solas can find the little baby’s magic and everything.” Dáithí lets out a bemused chuckle at Felicity’s dry toned confirmation, guessing that someone must have already asked if she really was pregnant. 

In the space of a minute and a half, he not only gained the title of father again but also a grandfather. 

Dáithí couldn’t be happier.

He pulls Felicity into a tight hug with another little laugh. 

“You are making me feel far older than I am, Felicity.” 

“It’s not on purpose...! You’re okay with this? Even though I’m an elf-” Dáithí cuts her off with a gentle squeeze. “Thank you so much for not running away!” Felicity sobs, clinging to Dáithí tighter as she continues to babble and cry. Solas watches from the couch with a small smile. He’d known Felicity had thought of Dáithí as a father figure for some time now; it was a relief to see that Dáithí thought of her as a daughter as well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I just wanted to let you guys know that I'll be taking a week off of posting. I've got some time off this week with Thanksgiving and all, and there's a shit ton of stuff I need to get caught up on around the house. Also, I just need a few stress-free moments to try to keep my sanity. ^^ So I won't be posting on 11/29, but I'll be back on 12/6 for our regularly scheduled plot. 
> 
> Hope you guys have a fantastic couple of weeks!! :D


	39. Chapter 39

Felicity is too impatient to wait for the midwife to come up to the room, slowly glowing brighter as the fear leaves and happiness takes over. Dorian is stunned when Felicity searches him out to give him the news, more confused as to why she would choose to tell him when she was keeping it a secret from most of the others.

“I trust you, Dorian, and you’re one of my best friends. Why wouldn’t I come running to tell you?” Felicity smiles at him, watching as he gets flustered at her heartfelt words. Felicity seals the deal when she quickly hugs him, running away giggling as the Tevinter mage is left sputtering. 

Of course, she goes to tell Cole, though the spirit boy was already aware. He mumbles some weird shit as per usual, accepting Felicity’s hug and demands that he needs to eat more as he is getting too skinny. The last person Felicity wants to tell is Varric, but he was away with Hawke going to the Western Approach. And this wasn’t the kind of thing she should send through her magical messages. 

Acacia nearly jumps across the War Table in her excitement when Felicity shares the news at the meeting; Cullen is shocked but offers up congratulations as well. Leliana’s eyes are calculating, and she voices her concerns, but thankfully does not get into it. Felicity had finally started to feel the happiness and excitement she was supposed to feel when she found out. Had Leliana tried to bring her down, Solas was sure he wouldn’t have been able to hold back from verbally tearing the Spymaster to pieces. 

Once that announcement was out of the way, they started back up with plans for getting their armies to the Western Approach without Corypheus knowing they were coming. Cullen and Leliana were opposites when it came to Felicity and Percy’s ideas about using the Transport via Plant spell. Cullen was skeptical such magic could work and certainly didn’t want to be the first to try it. He didn’t want to lose men if it happened to fall apart, and he knew many of the men would be wary of traveling through magic. Leliana was thrilled at the possibilities such a spell had and was all for using it to shorten the time of travel as well as keep their enemies from learning of their plans.

The main problem was getting their siege equipment there as most could not fit through a tree, even a large one. They could send the pieces through, but then they would have to bring engineers and the like along to Adamant to help reassemble them. And with how many they needed to bring to face Adamant, it meant bringing many more people outside of the Inquisitions forces than they liked. 

“I don’t wanna try and teleport everyone there, not over that far. Even I don’t wanna try and jump that far. At least using the trees as links, it doesn’t just punch a hole through the Veil like a bullet. It skirts around the edges of the Veil, tapping into the area between the waking world and the Fade. Like the Eluvians. We use those later; I don’t see why this is that much different.”

“What is an Eluvian?” Cullen asks, pinching the bridge of his nose as another headache pulses behind his eyes.

“Oh, I haven’t gotten that far in the explanations of my game yet, but they’re ancient elven artifacts for traveling. All the old ruins don’t have any road, you know? That’s because they didn’t typically travel like that. These used magic. After doing all the stuff at the Winter Palace, we end up with Morrigan coming to help the Inquisition. She’s the one who brings up Eluvians to the Inquisition originally, but I guess I’m doing that now.”

“The same Morrigan from-”

“The Fifth Blight, yes,” Felicity answers Leliana before she finishes the question. Morrigan had never been her favorite character, but she did have her uses. “I’m sorry, I know you don’t like or trust magic, Cullen; I just don’t see any other way of getting our people there in a timely manner without tipping our hand.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Inquisitor. I will try and prepare the men as best I can.”

“I have an herbalist from Orlais set to meet with you regarding the wildlife in the Western Approach and what could also grow here. The midwife will come to your chambers tonight; Claire is with her right now, going over the importance of secrecy in this matter. After you find the proper trees to imbue with magic, I need to meet with you regarding the marriage ceremony. And lastly, there is a handful of visiting nobility from Antiva who have requested a meeting and meal with you regarding our trade with them. It is more of a formality than anything. I will be there to help translate-”

“You don’t need to translate,” Felicity says in perfect Spanish, watching as Josephine’s eyes go wide.

“Are you using a spell…?”

“Nope, I’m speaking Spanish. Well, for me, it’s Spanish; for you, I guess it’s Antivan. I speak a few languages, actually. I was a translator back on Earth, so I know a few. I’m not sure all will translate to languages here. I also know French, Japanese, and some German.” As if she needed to prove herself, Felicity says a few sentences in each of the languages, immensely enjoying watching the stunned faces of everyone watching her. French, of course, translated to Orlesian, German close to Nevaran though there were quite a few differences, and there was nothing they could compare Japanese too but Felicity had expected that. “And Solas is teaching me Elvhen, so I can add that to the list as well.”

“That is incredible. Why are you just now mentioning this?” Josie is back to scribbling things down on her clipboard, rolling her eyes when Felicity just shrugs.

“Never really came up. I can do accents really well too. And since we’re sharing hidden talents, I can also walk on my hands.” Acacia, trying to remain serious as Felicity stuns everyone else, nearly busts a gut when Felicity shows them that she can, in fact, walk on her hands.

“Percy speaks Spanish too, but that’s the only one unless he learned more while he was here. Is it really that big of a deal?” Josie stares at Felicity as her pen freezes over the paper, but the deadpan look only makes her giggle. 

“We can talk about this later, Inquisitor, but yes, it is a big deal.”

“Well, that sounds like loads of fun.” Felicity teases as she takes a few steps towards the door. “I’ll see you guys in a bit. Let me know if you’ve got any questions about something. For now, I’m gonna go touch all the trees I can find.”

Just like that, she is off running out of the War Room with a light laugh, leaving the others standing there shaking their heads.

Their Inquisitor would never cease to surprise them.

~~~~~

Felicity, after touching every tree, bush, and flower in sight to imbue with magic, heads off in search of Solas. If Josie needed her opinion on things for the wedding, she was going to make sure he was included. This wasn’t just a thing for her. This would, after all, be the only wedding Solas got too. 

He is, unsurprisingly, in the rotunda, sitting at his desk sifting through papers. It was hard to focus on his studies, the strangest things reminding him once again that he is going to be a father. His mood was light, dare he say even optimistic, and he only gets happier as he feels Felicity slowly moving closer.

Solas had thought that surely nothing could ruin his mood today, tomorrow there would be something dark and gloomy to take up a chunk of his mind, but today he was safe from that darkness. 

Until Raina steps into the room.

All at once, Solas feels tension stringing itself tight through his body. His sharp eyes follow her as she saunters closer, the woman making a point to sway her hips with each step, a smile on her painted lips. Clearly, she had put some time and effort into getting ready this morning, not that it made any difference to Solas. He saw a snake, no matter what she wore or how much makeup she put on. 

“Good afternoon, Solas.” She purrs as she approaches his desk, flipping her hair as she stands there posing. It irritated him to no end how casually she spoke to him as if she had any right to. “I’ve been waiting all morning to talk to you.” Her lower lip juts out, Raina actually pouting. If he weren’t so angered by her very presence, he might have taken a page out of Panelan’s book and laughed in her face. 

“As you can see, I have much work to attend to.”

“Surely you can take a moment to speak with me. I’ve heard you were teaching some of the other mages of the Fade and was wondering if you would take me on as a student as well. I’m a quick study.” Raina leans forward onto his desk, giving anyone who looked even remotely down at her chest a perfect view. Solas’ eyes don’t stray from her’s, though, much to Raina’s dismay. 

“You would have to talk with Grand Enchanter Fiona about that. She handles all of the new students. And as you are currently interrupting my studies, I do not see why I should do you any favors.”

“I can certainly do a few favors for you-” Raina leans even closer, one hand reaching out for Solas, but she never gets the chance to finish that action. 

Felicity’s magic crackles in the air around her as she grabs Raina’s wrist, keeping her from getting any closer. 

“Back off,” Felicity growls, her anger growing when Raina makes no move to follow the order.

“Inquisitor, I thought you were busy with your tutor learning of plants.” She rolls her eyes, somehow managing to look down upon Felicity despite the fact that right now, they were nearly eye to eye.

“Three.”

“No response? We were just having a pleasant chat. You don’t always need to be the center of attention-”

“Two.”

“Am I supposed to be threatened? What are you going to do, run crying to daddy?” Still, Raina doesn’t move her hand back, believing that she was safe from anything Felicity could try and pull. After all, she was sent here by the King and Queen. She thought herself above everyone in this keep, their Inquisitor included.

“One.” Felicity yanks her arm back with strength Raina didn’t think she possessed. In the blink of an eye, Felicity’s other fist is there rushing towards Raina and connecting solidly with her jaw. When her other hand connects, Felicity lets go of Raina’s wrist, watching her go stumbling back into the still unpainted wall.

“How  _ dare  _ you-!”

“Get. Out. Of. My. Sight.”

“Do you know who I am?! The King and Queen themselves think-”

“Why am I not surprised to see you in the middle of this, Raina?” Percy, having been perusing the library on the second floor of the rotunda, had watched the whole scene unfold, more than a little curious to see how Felicity would handle the situation when he saw her walk into the room. The punch was a nice one. He was proud. “Overreaching again, I see.”

“You hold your tongue, Percival, I-”

Instead of following up her punch with a nice fireball, Felicity turned around to where Solas was on his feet, looking like he too wanted to start throwing punches. Three steps see her to his side, and she grabs two fistfuls of his sweater and pulls him down.

Solas is all too willing to kiss her, grinning when Felicity starts to make a show of it. And why shouldn’t they? They had nothing to hide. He easily picks her up and sits her down on his desk, his hands falling on either side of her hips, uncaring of the papers he crumpled in his actions.

Silence falls as everyone stares, Felicity and Solas uncaring as they continue, eventually forgetting why they were doing this in the first place. At least until Panelan’s loud voice breaks through.

“Good grief, there are children here!” He dramatically covers his eyes with one hand, Cole’s with the other. The young man doesn’t react beyond quietly informing Panelan he wasn’t a child, mumbling a question about why everyone seemed to think that. 

Felicity, without missing a beat, presses herself that much closer to Solas, going so far as to roll her body against his with a soft moan.

“Alright you two, even I don’t wanna see this,” Dorian says, though there is no missing the intense longing in her eyes as he watches Felicity and Solas. Flirting with people and messing around was fun, but it was no replacement for the closeness that he so desperately wanted. Finally, after a few moments more, Felicity pulls away. She grins at Solas, who indulgently grins back at her. The smugness of her spirit as she looked to see a fuming Raina almost had him on the floor laughing. 

“Keep your hands to yourself, or next time I will be doing more than throwing punches.”

“When the King and Queen hear of this-”

“They will be utterly unsurprised,” Percy says as he rounds the last corner, having stepped away for part of the show to walk down the steps. “Or did you forget you tried this trick on Zevran, and Clark, and Alistair, and-” With a huff, Raina turns and stomps out of the room.

“And stay out, bitch.” Felicity grumbles after her, sticking out her tongue for extra measure. “What a garbage person.”

“Yeah, but sadly, she is pretty damn good at her alchemy, which is the only reason Ellie kept her around. Of course, Raina believes this is because Ellie has finally realized that she is beneath her. She’s crazy, I swear to god. The amount of drama she has caused over the years is insane. I feel bad for Florian and Gianette stuck with that nut job all the time.”

“Next time I catch her flashing her tits at people, I’m gonna turn her into a toad. And not even a cute toad, a really ugly toad!” Felicity grumbles some more, clinging to Solas with a fierce scowl on her face. Solas thought she was cute, all jealous like this, but he could feel her unsettled spirit.

“I am not going anywhere with anyone other than you, ‘ma vhen’an.”

“I know! I know… I just- I don’t like it. People cheating on their partners is one of the worst things they can do, a person who wants to make someone else unfaithful really just takes the cake as far as terrible people go.”

“Come, I do believe Josephine is expecting us.” Solas helps Felicity down from the desk before tucking her into his side, one arm tightly wrapped around her.

“How’d you know? I was just coming to tell you.”

“Claire stopped by to tell me you would likely be requesting my presence at the meeting and just wanted to make sure I wasn’t in the middle of my studies or teaching the mages.”

“You’re the best, Claire!” Felicity calls, knowing full well she probably couldn’t hear here where she was. Probably helping get everything set for the impromptu wedding. Felicity wouldn’t get much of a honeymoon, what with Adamant and the Warden’s the deal with, but once they got back from that mess, she planned to stay in Skyhold until it was absolutely required that she leave. Acacia could handle going around and closing rifts and stabilizing areas without Felicity there as well. 

Now that Skyhold’s power and prestige were growing, there were many things that Felicity would need to see too personally here in the keep. 

Solas and Felicity make their way back to Josie’s office, unsurprised to see several people already there waiting for them. There were a few tailors who would make her a wedding dress, and something more formal for Solas as well. The heads of the kitchen were there to figure out what they would be making. Josie had a list of nearly everyone Felicity could think of ever having met and wanted to know who they should send out invitations to. 

Dáithí, Percy, Adaar, and Panelan are among the first to be invited. Acacia, her Inner Circle, and the Advisors were, of course, all invited as well. Felicity dearly wished Varric could be there as well, but there was no way they could wait for them to get here to have the wedding. 

“We can have a celebration once we get back to Skyhold, Felicity, something not as rushed as this.”

“That sounds great! All the more reason to try and get the shitshow at Adamant out of the way.”

“Indeed.” He kisses her temple, trying to calm her spirit. There was some lingering unease from the incident with Raina within her. She had made a point of making sure Josie knew that snake wasn’t allowed to even allowed to be in the same room as them on that day. Not at all hard to do given the woman’s demands that she be given quarters away from the main keep. A part of Felicity wanted to be petty and invite Florian and Gianette but not Raina, but that was surely only going to cause more drama, and Felicity didn’t want to deal with any more bullshit that absolutely necessary. 

Josie had found an elderly Chantry Mother who had no qualms marrying the two elves. Felicity had been concerned about the whole Chantry thing, but she need not have been. The old woman was sweeter than sugar and nearly as bright as Felicity herself. This wouldn’t be the first time she married elves, and she made it clear it wouldn’t be the last either. 

Felicity dearly hoped those in the small Chantry they had in the city section of Skyhold were as nice as this lady. 

Everything is set up, and people are off and running around to get everything ready for the next day. Felicity had always assumed if she ever got married, she’d be super nervous, but as she and Solas head back to their rooms that night, there is not a hint of anxiety within her, at least not in so far as the marriage went. The whole ‘with child’ part still gave her flickers of unease, but much of it was assuaged by the small midwife waiting for them at her door. 

She had an intense aura around despite her small size, her gray hair cut short, and blue eyes just as sharp as they were thirty years ago when she started her work as a midwife. 

“Got things a little out of order, did we?” She teases, Felicity shocked at the smile and mischievous glint in her eyes. “No matter, never really understood it anyway. Some of the most attentive and understanding fathers were the ones who weren’t married to the mothers. Come in, come in, there is much we need to talk about.”

There really aren’t that many differences between Earth and Thedas as far as pregnancies went. There were no ultrasounds or extensive lab tests, but there was magic, which could tell just as much- if not more- about the child as the technology could on Earth. 

There was a little concern on the midwife’s part given the size difference between Solas and Felicity, but nothing they could really do about that other than to try and prepare her as best they could. The top of Felicity’s head barely reached his shoulders, her body much more slight in comparison. Solas was taller than any elf the midwife had ever met, and that was saying something. She had been one of the few healers the elves in the alienages would allow in to help with births, so she had met her fair share of expectant elven fathers. 

“So what you’re saying is I’m going to be even bigger than usual because he’s a giant? That’s just great.” Felicity fakes an irritated huff, but still, she leans into his side. Solas is unable to stop his mind from wandering, imagining what she’ll look like the farther along she gets. It wouldn’t be long, according to the midwife, before she started to show. Not much at first, of course, just a little baby bump, but given how small Felicity herself was, it wouldn’t take much for it to become obvious. 

“Don’t you go worrying about it, Inquisitor. Everything will sort itself out.” The midwife laughs at Felicity’s fake irritation, the smile growing as she watches Solas pull her into his lap to try and make amends. “I’ll get some stuff ready for you to take when you head west. Let me know if you’ve got any questions or concerns, got it?”

“Got it.” Felicity salutes, squirming in Solas’ grasp as he starts to leave ticklish kisses down the side of her neck. “Thank you!” She calls out to the retreating women before shuddering when Solas bites a suitable mark into her pale skin. One isn’t nearly enough for the old wolf, and as he lays them back onto the bed, he gives her several more marks.

“You’re a menace.” Solas just hums in agreement, a small smile dancing on his lips as he sets about the task of removing their clothes. “No, hang on, you need to go ask if it’s okay to be doing this.”

“Why would it not be?”

“I don’t know, but maybe shit’s different when pregnant. So go ask, or keep your delightful hands to yourself.” Solas chuckles, but stops, leaving her in her smalls. “I thought so. Besides, shouldn’t we be waiting until we’re actually married? I mean, we kind of messed it up already, but doing this the night before seems kinda like adding insult to injury.” Felicity continues to ramble as Solas pulls the covers up and around them, only snuggling her close when he has the lights dimmed.

Once again, he is searching out her spirit for the flicker of their child, protectively wrapping his own spirit around them both. 

“That’s super cute.” She sighs, relaxing against him as her eyes drift shut. She’s been so tired lately; at least she now knows the reason why. Though part of it is still like from the stress of the coming month’s missions. But soon enough, they could put all of Adamant behind them. 

“Sleep well, my little miracles,” Solas whispers, one last soft kiss dropped on the top of her head before he falls asleep as well.

~~~~~

It’s amazing what Josie can do in just a few short hours. Felicity wakes up to servants at her door, quickly ushering Solas out to get ready while they help Felicity prepare as well. She is washed and dried before she even has time to question all the extra help today. All manner of lotion and scented oils are massaged into her skin, other servants carefully taming her curls.

She’s on the verge of falling back asleep when they sit her up again, her makeup evidently the next task on the list. Felicity doesn’t question them as they work, only trying to remain as still as possible and to keep before blinking and flinching away from them. 

When at last they deem her flawless, they send out one of the servants to get the dress. Felicity stares at herself in the reflection of the large mirror they had brought in, raising one hand to tentatively brush over her features. 

Her lips are soft, glossy pink, Felicity wondering if they do have lip gloss in Thedas after all. It doesn’t look like much makeup is on her face, though she knows much was applied in careful layers to give her this effortless look. Her eyes shimmer, a similar soft glitter highlighting her cheeks and the very tip of her nose. The thin line of dark eyeliner makes her eyes appear just a little bit larger than normal, more defined. A light pink blush is dusted on her cheeks, though she doesn’t know why they bothered, she was surely going to be blushing enough as is.

When the dress is finally brought in, Felicity is shocked once more. She had told Josephine and the seamstress to surprise her, thinking there wasn’t much time to be picky. Besides, there wasn’t much of a preference that Felicity had. She was getting married- officially- to Solas. 

For all she cares, she could be wearing a potato sack. 

Held out before her is a stunning, multi-colored gown. The pattern almost reminds her of stained glass, each geometric shape outline in a shimmering line of gold. The fabric filling in each section is varying shades of dark blues and peach pink until it reaches her shoulder, where it becomes translucent, leaving behind only the shimmering from the other fabric.

In the blink of an eye, she is in the gown and heading to the garden. Her friends and family are seated there, quietly talking amongst themselves, waiting for the ceremony to start. When she appears at the entrance, everyone falls silent. All eyes are locked on her, but her eyes are only for the man standing at the far end near the Chantry Mother who would be overseeing the whole event. 

Solas is dressed in more formal mage robes, though his pendant remained. His spirit, sensing hers so close, aches to pull her close and run away. He wants her all to himself, he always would, and at her blissful smile at the idea his spirit offers, Solas chuckles. When he finally is allowed to turn to the side to look at her, he can’t stop the warm smile that lights up his face.

Any and all words the Mother says are lost on the pair as they communicate back and forth with their spirits. After all, it didn’t matter what the Mother said or did; the ceremony held absolutely no meaning to them. In their minds, they were already married, tied to each other in every way that mattered. 

They are drawn from their happy little bubble when the Mother quietly clears her throat, and before Felicity could start to feel embarrassed and try to figure out what she missed, Solas lifts her hands up between them. From somewhere, he pulls out two rings, passing one to her. Before she can do her part and put the ring on him, he lifts her hand to his mouth, kissing the spot her ring would soon sit. A wisp of power lingers after the kiss, a shimmering silver band of magic sinking into her skin, a matching one appearing on his ring finger as well. 

“Your brother said where you are from, there were supposed to be two rings,” Solas murmurs as he slides the second ring into place. The physical ring, its delicate silver branches twined together clasping a seafoam green gemstone, seem to come to life as it sits over the magical section of the ring. If she watched closely, the branches would shift and seemed to grow and disappear, the little leaves rustling in an unseen breeze, the tiny gem flickering like a spark of life had been hidden away within it. 

“It’s beautiful…” It takes a moment before she can pry her eyes away from it. Once she does, though, Felicity quickly pulls Solas’ hand up so she could return the favor. His ring was similar to hers, thicker branches and leaves coming to life as it connects with the magic, though his lacked any sort of gems. 

Felicity’s smile was priceless as Solas leaned down to kiss her; the Mother announced them husband and wife as the small crowd gathered cheers. Percy is the first to break rank as he runs up to them, pulling Felicity away from Solas so he could spin her around as they laugh and cry. 

“Look at the rings! Percy, look how beautiful they are! It moves!!” He is just as impressed with the magic Solas had managed with the rings as Felicity was, and as his sister goes off to start showing everyone else, he turns to Solas.

“Congratulations, buddy, welcome to the family!” Solas is surprised when Percy pulls him into a hug, though he shouldn’t be. He was a lot like his sister, and Felicity was one hundred percent a hugger. “It’s official now, you’re stuck with the crazy forever.”

“It is a good kind of crazy.” Solas smiles as he watches his wife flit around to all of their friends, laughing and hugging and crying with everyone she can. Before she can start too much chaos out here, a few servants show the way to a quiet section of Skyhold Josie had prepared for the rest of the wedding day. Felicity had initially wanted to have the whole event outside in the garden, but Josie had been quick to offer up an alternative. It would be much easier to keep prying eyes away if they were inside with at least one door between them and the rest of the keep, and the Ambassador had to admit Felicity deserved a moment out of the public eye for this special moment. After Adamant, when they had a real celebration for her wedding, they could make a bigger affair of it, including the rest of Skyhold’s people and the nobles Felicity could stomach. 

That night would be a party to remember; Josie would make sure of that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! As promised, we are back on schedule. ^^ Thank you for you're patience, I really needed some time to get everything back together in life. 
> 
> My brother even figured out his computer stuff and put up a few more pictures. So we're doing good all around! :D
> 
>   
> <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/nolongeragameart>  
> 


	40. Chapter 40

The very next day, Felicity is up bright and early with packed bags and a tense spirit. Coming with her is Solas, Adaar, Panelan, and Percy. They would be riding hard and fast, making sure to imbue any trees that matched something in Skyhold along the way.

“We’re gonna make this right, Lissy.”

“It’s too late to make it right. All we can do is try and minimize the losses, and even for that, we are too late.” 

“Hey, look at me.” Percy moves in front of her, stopping them on their way to the stables. “This isn’t your fault; _none_ of this is your fault.”

“I could have told people when I got here, Percy. They could have looked into it, done something about it. The Warden’s sacrificed to summon the demons need not have lost their lives.”

“Or, in you telling them to check, Corypheus could have sped up his plans and washed over the unsuspecting world with an army of demons.”

“You can’t know that-”

“And you can’t know that telling people would have saved anyone either. What’s done is done, and we are going to do our best to fix what we can. That’s all anyone can ask of us.” Felicity, with tears welling up, just shrugs, trying to brush off his sure and steady words. She doubted the families of those lost would feel the same way if they knew Felicity could have been warning people this whole time.

“Felicity…” Solas murmurs as he pulls her back into his arms. “None of this is your doing.”

“Say that after you see what’s coming.”

“I will.” With one more squeeze, he lets her go to ready Baron von Floppsie the Fifth. The large nuggalope is already awake and alert, surprisingly alert given how much they knew the creature loved his sleep. After Solas has her pack secured, she leads him to the courtyard, where many people are gathering to wish them good luck and safe travels. 

“Keep us posted, Inquisitor.” Felicity nods to Josephine, giving final hugs to Dáithí and Dorian. She wanted to bring them along too, wanted- needed- their support, but they didn’t want to have a giant group traveling and drawing attention to itself. 

“Don’t worry. I will. You guys will get annoyed at how many messages I’ll send. You’ll be begging for me to give you a moment’s peace in no time.”

“Be careful,” Dáithí says for the fifth time, and Felicity nods just like she had for the past four. “Please, da’ean.”

“I know! I will be, I promise!”

“You always say that, and I always end up getting reports of you in very not safe situations.”

“Well, those aren’t my fault; trouble just seems to find me. But, if you’ll note, I have been okay every time.”

“I would rather not push the limit to see if this will be the one to break the record.”

“Fair. I pinky promise I’ll be as careful as possible.” Dáithí sighs, and with one last hug, helps her onto her mount. “See you guys soon!” Felicity calls, quickly turning around and riding out of Skyhold. The others quickly follow, and for several hours, they ride in silence. 

“Who goes into the Fade with the Herald?” Solas quietly asks as they settle down for a few hours rest that night. 

“It depended on who the player chose to bring along. It was possible for anyone in the Inner Circle to be brought in, though only three at the most. You were one of the only ones who liked being there, though. Most everyone else was freaked out about it, Cole and Bull in particular.”

“You cannot go.” 

“I really don’t wanna go, so that’s not at all a problem. It’s scary in there; I’ve got enough to worry about when it comes to trying to keep our people alive. If we have to pick people to send in, from a more objective point of view, I’d have to go with Varric, Blackwall, and you. But I’m not gonna lie; I don’t wanna send you.”

Solas was torn. The ability to physically walk the Fade since the Veil’s creation would undoubtedly be an excellent chance to study that which he could usually only see while unconscious. But Felicity would be there so close to the chaos. He would have to make sure she had plenty to do at their base as there was no way he was going to have her going around the battlefield while pregnant.

And while he was tempted to volunteer himself to go into the Fade, he knew there was no choice between his studies- his desire to know- and his love for Felicity.

“Then, I will not unless absolutely necessary.” He says with a little shrug, his mind made up quickly, and his spirit settles against hers. 

“You don’t have to stay back because of me. It would be a good chance for you to study the Fade and all that jazz.” And though her tone is surprisingly steady as she speaks, he can feel the dread and unease in her spirit.

“Do not think you can lie to me, vhen’an.” Solas stretches out on the bedroll, pulling Felicity carefully onto him. There was no comfort quite like the feeling of her against him, safe in his arms. 

“It’s not that. I’m not lying; I’m not saying that I want you to go jumping on in. I am just saying that I don’t wanna hold you back. You’ve got important work to do too-”

“Nothing is more important to me than you, Felicity Maria Pennel. Nothing. I have given all I had to The People, to my friends, to Mythal. And while I will do all I can to restore what I broke, I will no longer sacrifice of myself to achieve those goals. It did not work last time; it would not have worked again.”

“But the world-”

“The world is not your responsibility, da’len, and it is not mine. No matter the power we hold, we are not culpable for the misdeeds of every living being. We are not gods.”

A long silence falls, Felicity mulling over his solemn words, and while she agrees wholeheartedly, there is still that little voice within that wants to take the blame for the burning world onto her shoulders.

“I’m so ready for this to be over, Solas, I can’t even begin to explain what a relief it will be after this.”

“I know, vhen’an, and we are almost there.” He traces the length of her spine again and again, up and down, up and down, little shivers of magic relaxing the tension in her. 

“Can you tell me stories about Arlathan? The good memories?” Instead of answering yes or no, Solas launches into tales of the libraries they used to have in Arlathan. Of course, books and scrolls were kept there, but they also had ways to store actual memories. There were lifetimes of knowledge there for anyone to dive into so long as they possessed the drive to study it.

He talks of the spells they would cast, one that would take years to solidify, and echoes would be felt for hundreds of years to come. There is a reverence in his quiet voice as he describes the feats of magic they accomplished. The mazes of Eluvians set up, elves able to cross the continent in just a handful of steps. There were entire sections of Arlathan that were in the sky, floating above other parts of the city, endlessly circling around each other. It was not known to many, but the paths they took actually created sigils in the air, creating a barrier around the expansive city. As much as he hated the Evanuris, Solas had to admit that they were no fools when it came to their magical abilities.

Felicity drifts off to sleep as Solas describes their research into the Void, the Fade, and the possibilities of other realms. They did not get far before the Great War began in earnest, and the Evanuris lost interest. Though now, with Felicity and Percy here from another world, Solas wishes that those studies wouldn’t have been lost to time. 

Solas continues to think as Felicity sleeps, brow furrowed as he tries to recall the time he spent in Arlathan with Dirthamen. He was the least violent of the Evanuris, nearly as curious as Solas was. But where Solas sought to learn for the sake of learning, Dirthamen wanted to learn to amass a wealth of knowledge to use against his enemies should the need arise. 

How the quiet man could stomach Falon’Din’s desperate- often violent- need for attention, Solas never understood. 

They hadn’t gotten far in their studies into other realms, beyond the Fade at least. That was the easiest to study. It inhabited the same physical space as reality; it was always there to explore. It was places like the Void that they had trouble studying. For all their power, the Void still was dangerous to them- to all. There was great power there, but it came at a terrible price that neither were willing to pay.

Andruil had no such qualms, especially when she learned- through baseless rumors- that the Dun’himelan had discovered a way to travel mostly unhindered in the untamed landscapes. She would fight her way into the Void tooth and nail only to come back a little more insane each time.

When Solas questioned the Dun’himelan about the rumors, they hadn’t much to say. Only that Andruil would need to be careful lest she loses herself to the nothing. The more he thinks about it, the more connections Solas makes between the Dun’himelan and his vhen’an.

They had wonderfully adaptive magic, the Dun’himelan. More… fluid. Not so rigid and defined as the Elvhen, much like Felicity’s own. Very much like Felicity’s. _Too_ much like Felicity’s. 

Solas sighs, yet another thing added onto his ‘to do’ list.

It was, perhaps, finally time to search out the Dun’himelan across the sea.

~~~~~

“I’m telling you the truth! Dungeons and Dragons was growing in popularity! My personal favorite was Critical Role. It was a bunch of my favorite voice actors playing, and Matt Mercer was the DM, and it was phenomenal. I went to one of the live shows, and there were literally thousands of people there from all over the place. Thousands! Just to watch them play D&D! It was great fun, except for the standing outside in the freezing weather waiting to get in. That sucked.”

Percy just shakes his head. There was no way he’d believe that D&D would rise up from the dark corners it had been secluded in all those years he was growing up. He still remembered making his first character, remember when they died. In a terrible turn of events, they had been facing a dragon. They won, they killed the dragon, but his character was too close. And in an attempt to use magic to escape the falling corpse, his wild magic surged. He screamed for help from the rest of his party, but all that came out of his mouth were pink bubbles.

Not exactly the most heroic way to go out, but it was pretty memorable.

“And there were Artificers!”

“No way.” Percy’s head snaps to the side to glance suspiciously at Felicity. Surely she had to be joking-

“I’m serious. I made the nerdiest gnome ever to have lived, and he was so much fun to play. Tesh was the best.”

“Shit! Now I wanna play again; I haven’t wanted to play in years. I finally got over it, learning quickly that Thedas had nothing like it, and now I’m back to wanting to again. You’re the worst, Lissy.” Percy grumbles as Felicity giggles. She’d been working on amassing the necessary items she would need to play a game, knowing it would be such fun to try and teach Solas how to play.

“Between the two of us, we should be able to make a rough outline of the various guides. And what we don’t remember we can just make up. It would be so much fun to play again!”

“Alright, as soon as we get back, we’re doing this. Promise?”

“Promise!” Felicity beams at him before turning to Panelan, who’d been watching the siblings all morning with soft eyes and a softer smile. “Llewellyn, you’re gonna play too, right? It’s so much fun, I promise!”

“This is your make-believe game, yes?”

“Well, I mean, yeah. But it’s called role-playing. Trust me, I know it sounds weird, but it’s really fun.”

“I will try it, da’asha, but I’ve never really been one for games.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to love it, just try it. You too, Solas!”

“I will try almost anything at least once.”

“Good, good. Adaar-”

“No.”

“Calm down. I was just gonna say that I finished that practice wolf, and it looks absolutely terrible.” Felicity digs around in her pockets until she finds the small figurine he had her practicing on. “It looks like a grade-schooler made it. All my staff is missing is the animals, but I’m starting to think it wasn’t meant to be.” She holds up the misshapen chunk of wood for him to study. 

It was indeed a terrible mess, Adaar unsure how it could have turned out like this when she was picturing a wolf as a base of reference. It seemed to lack any sort of torso, the tail and head weirdly mushed right together. The fur resembled a porcupine more than actual fur, Felicity having- for some reason- sharpened each individual hair to a point. Worse were the eyes on the face, one larger than the other and both looking in different directions. 

“It takes practice-”

“It also takes some skill. Could you start the base, and then I can try doing the details? Or vise versa? Just so I can get the feel of part of it without butchering the poor, unsuspecting piece of wood.”

“Once we stop, I will try and help you carve a suitable base.”

“Thank you!” 

They stop a few more times for plants and trees Felicity recognizes, but beyond that, all they do is ride. Felicity is impressed with Baron’s ability to keep up, having expected her mount to lose his drive after a few days of such hard riding, but he held his own among the others. 

Sooner than expected and certainly sooner than she is prepared for, Felicity stands at the edge of the vast desert with her little group. Thankfully there are currently clouds in the sky, helping to keep the heat down, but this was the final stretch of their journey. Once they reach Hawke, it would be time to bring their men through and lay siege to Adamant Fortress.

“Alright, guys, keep your eyes open for these trees.” Felicity passes around several sheets of paper with detailed sketches of the trees they had back in Skyhold that could be found in this wasteland. “Any one we see, I’ll mark, but I’d like to wait until we get as close as possible before messaging back to everyone to come through. That way, we can have the element of surprise, but also that way our people don’t need to march through this sandy shit in full plate armor.”

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road!” 

“How’re you so energetic, Percy? We’re gonna have sand in our clothes for the rest of forever, not to mention how hot it’s going to get.”

“I’ll take hot and sunny over rainy and cold any day. Besides, deserts have a certain aesthetically pleasing beauty to them when you get past the sand in your boots. Don’t worry; you’ll see once night comes.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m ever going to get past the sand in my boots part. I hate sand in my boots.”

“Why don’t you magic up some anti-sand boots?”

“Seems a bit frivolous, don’t you think?” Felicity rolls her eyes, crossing her arms with a little huff as if that should have been evident, a spark of her usual light in her eyes once again.

“Oh yes, I forgot who I was speaking with, the mighty Inquisitor, least frivolous person in existence. Definitely not a maker of anti-sand boots. And Tevinter styled raincoats. And perpetually billowing cloaks. And an entire snake-themed outfit.”

“Right, that was definitely not me. Probably my husband, have you met him? He’s the best.” 

“You’re biased.”

“I am, but that doesn’t mean what I’m saying isn’t also the truth.” Without waiting for Percy to tease her back again, Felicity urges Baron forward. Solas, Adaar, and Panelan are all talking about something, so she contents herself with leading the group in silence at the front. 

As time drags on, Felicity staring at the landscape around her, she has to wonder where this aesthetic Percy was describing was. All there was were sand and rock, rocks and sand, the occasional dead tree or boulder, but that was it. A few times, she stops them to mark a tree, though none were terribly large. 

Dread grows heavier when, as they get further and further into the desert, Felicity can feel the Veil weakening. Corypheus was already hard at work it seemed; hopefully, they weren’t already too late.

“Here, da’asha, you should still keep drinking even though it’s not too hot yet.” She accepts the water skin from Panelan, but even that makes her stomach roll uncomfortably. “When we stop again, I will make you some tea. The midwife said it would help with the nausea.”

“Thanks. What was Solas talking with you guys about?”

“Plans to make sure you’re safe in the coming days. We have been switching on days and night, but until we reach Skyhold, you will have us both for the majority of the time.”

“Now hold on, when are you guys going to sleep?”

“Solas will help watch over you, so we have time to rest. We will be alright, da’asha, neither Adaar nor I will crumble from a little lost sleep.”

“Still, I wish you wouldn’t push it.”

“We are pushing nothing. I promise you this.” He grins at her, Felicity unable to stop herself from returning the gesture. 

“How were Thelris and Virdi? I haven’t seen much of them. They must be as busy as I am.” Panelan quickly glances around to make sure no one else was listening to them before lowering his tone to answer

“They’re good. Virdi has accepted a higher position amongst the crafters, and though she still feels like she is working with children some days, they are growing on her. She misses the forge that used to be there; much of it has been destroyed over the years. Last I saw Thelris, he was being chased by a group of children who wanted to test their paralysis spells on him.”

“I thought he was working in the libraries?”

“Grand Enchanter Fiona convinced him to work more closely with the young mages. They are working on setting up a proper school for mages, and then, hopefully, having it integrated into some of the smaller schools already being set up for nonmagical children.”

“That would be amazing! Do they need any help? Anything I can do to move things along?”

“You would have to ask them, but I can’t imagine they would ever turn away help, especially from their Inquisitor.”

“I was talking with Josie the other day about getting a system in place to help all the orphans the Breach has created. A system of adoption in place, but also a place for them to call home in the meantime. If we get schools set up, they can even get a proper education here. We have the space for it, that much I know. Did you know there are entire little neighborhoods under Skyhold in the caves?! No one told me there was practically another city underneath the keep!”

“If we can get the runes active again, you’ll be in for quite the show. There are little crystals embedded in the walls, and when the right kind of light hits them… there is almost nothing more beautiful.”

“Any other secrets I should know about?”

“It is not me you should be asking about that. I am not the one who created it.” 

“True, true. I’ll ask him later. Well, I’ll try, but I’ll probably forget by then.”

~~~~~

“Fenris didn’t wait, and I couldn’t just let him go alone.” Hawke bows her head to Felicity when they finally meet up several days later, Adamant Fortress looming on the horizon from their little camp. Felicity just stared at her for a long moment, trying to comprehend the words that had come out of the woman’s mouth.

“...What?”

“I didn’t tell them until we got here and were scouting; I didn’t expect him to just… He went and sought out Erimond, and though he escaped in the end, Fenris seriously wounded him. But ever since then, the Veil has gotten weaker and weaker, the Calling louder and louder for Stroud.”

“Fuck!” Felicity snaps, her furious eyes searching the camp for the cause of her recent rage. He sits there, looking uttering unconcerned with what he’s done. “You stupid, fucking idiot!” Faster than any one of the onlookers thought she could move, she is off her mount and dragging Fenris to his feet. 

“Don’t touch me-”

“Shut your damn mouth.” Felicity growls, shock clear as day on Fenris’ face when he finds himself doing just that. “They know we’re coming now; they’ve had time for more sacrifices and more demons. We lost the element of surprise, and that on you! All that blood is on your hands, and I know you may not be particularly broken up over it, but they were people! People who shouldn’t have died like this! They weren’t perfect, but they didn’t deserve to be used in some ancient darkspawn ritual as blood sacrifices.”

“Vhen’an-” Solas tries to pull her back, but Felicity shakes him off.

_“No!_ People are dead because he is so damn hot-headed! More people are going to die because of the demons they now had time to summon! And for what?!”

Varric says nothing as he stands off to the side, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. Even Hawke doesn’t rise to Fenris’ defense as she usually would. It is impossible not to hear Felicity’s heart breaking in her voice, see how it was affecting her, feel her magic crying out as it whips around her.

Eventually, after ranting and screaming some more, she pushes Fenris away, immediately turning into Solas’ arms and continuing to cry. When she lets go of Fenris, her magical compulsion to keep him silent falls away. He falls back onto the stump he’s been sitting on, his own angry flaring up, mouthing opening to yell just as fiercely back at her. Solas doesn’t even get the chance to threaten him, Panelan and Percy each stepping between them, arms crossed over their chests, expressions stern.

Eventually, Solas calms Felicity down, though her spirit is still dark and heavy. They needed to move their plans forward, and Felicity turned to find Varric.

“Any of these trees around here?”

“Way ahead of you, Firecracker, we already got a few good candidates.” He leads her off, Adaar and Panelan both tagging along, Solas staying behind to have a few choice words with Hawke and Fenris.

“Llewellyn?”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any tea to help me sleep without dreaming? I don’t wanna dream around here.”

“Of course. I will make you some tonight. Is nausea better?”

“No, it’s just not at the front of my mind right now.”

“You feeling alright, Firecracker?” Varric turns worried eyes to her, starting to worry in earnest when suddenly her whole attitude shifts again.

“I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet! Varric, I’m pregnant! I’m going to have a baby!” Varric stops walking, uncaring that the others stumble into him at his sudden stop. “And before you ask: No, I’m not joking. Yes, Solas is the father. Yes, I am okay apart from the nausea.”

“Maker’s shit, what are you doing here!?”

“Who else is gonna magically connect trees?”

“Make them march; that’s what Curly has been training them for anyways!”

“I’m gonna be fine. I’m not going into Adamant or anything; I’m just here to make sure as many of our people make it home as possible.”

“Honestly? I’m surprised Chuckles let you come along. He seems like he’d be the overbearing, protective kind of guy.”

“Well, as I said, I kinda have to be here. Nothing he or I want is gonna change that fact. So we’re gonna do the best we can to cope with the stress and try to prepare for any unforeseen circumstance.” 

“Poor Dáithí must have been shocked.”

“Yeah he was. I think just about everyone was really shocked. Kinda came out of nowhere after all.” Varric just shakes his head as he starts walking again, not fully processing the information. 

“Here’s the first one we found, Leliana’s note said there were a few types of trees we should scout out.”

“Oh, I didn’t know she was going to send you a letter as well. We did come across several viable options on the way here as well that I marked, but this is much closer.” Felicity reaches out her hand to the trunk, her white magic quickly enveloping the tree and sinking into the center of the wood. 

“Can you have the spell connect multiple trees at once?”

“I have no idea. I have been able to keep marking new trees, but I don’t know how many bridges I can connect at once without risking our people’s safety as they walk the path.”

“Even just one will change everything. Our guys can walk single file, and if everyone helps carry equipment, we’ll have a base set up in no time.”

“Yeah, then all we need is the siege equipment Josie negotiated for us to borrow from some Orlesian families, and we’ll be golden.” Felicity still goes around to a few more of the plants, just in case it turns out she can activate more than one, before sending messages to Cullen and the others that they are ready to give this a try as soon as they are. 

Back in Skyhold, the majority of their forces had been waiting on standby to hear from Felicity. Everything they could carry was set out, marching orders assigned. All they were waiting on was to know which tree they would be marching into. Many of the soldiers were uneasy about traveling via magic, but most didn’t make a huge show of it. There were some that outright refused to do such a thing, which was fine by Cullen. He still needed men in Skyhold should anything happen, so those who couldn’t travel like the rest of them would be keeping watch here. 

Thelris and Virdi had offered up their services to the Inquisitions and its mission in the Western Approach. They would need people to repair the weapons and armor that were damaged in the fighting and as many mage healers that they could to try and save those who made it back. And if there was one thing Thelris was good at, it was healing.

Acacia offered to walk through first, trusting Felicity but was quickly shot down. They needed her. She couldn’t risk possibly getting lost or killed in this new experiment in testing just how far their understanding of magic has changed since Felicity got here.

Instead of the Herald walking through first, one of Leliana’s scouts offered to test the spell. Charter wasn’t worried in the slightest, not after seeing the feats of magic Felicity had already accomplished. Without a hint of hesitation, Charter walks towards the glowing tree, gasping when- after two more steps- she is standing in the middle of the desert with Felicity there beaming at her.

“That’s amazing!” She looks back around, seeing a similarly glowing tree there, before continuing forward. “Thank you, Inquisitor; this is so much better than traveling by foot through the sand.”

“Right? This is pretty damn handy.” Felicity sends a message through to Cullen and Leliana that Charter made it through, and they were good to start sending everyone else. 

Hours pass by as people continue to file through with arms laden. It’s not just their soldiers that are joining them here. There are scouts and spies, cooks, healers, smiths, runners, ever Master Dennet joining them with the mounts that could fit through. Cullen looks as white as a sheet when he steps through, though Acacia is there to pull him off to the side. His grip on her is desperate as he tries to keep from remembering every dark torture they had used magic to inflict on him, but feeling magic enveloping him again brought it all up to the front. 

Josie and Leliana coordinate where everyone goes once they make it through, tents and the like quickly getting set up in an ever-expanding area. They send a handful of scouts heading out to meet up with the DuCharme families men who had already begun moving the siege equipment towards where Hawke has been camping these last few days.

They would be ready to march on Adamant within the week. The atmosphere is tense in the camp, everyone coming to terms with what could happen in the next few weeks. It would take time to break through their walls and defenses to get to the courtyard Felicity had described, and there would be casualties. But every man and woman here knew what was at stake, knew what would happen if they lost, and Corypheus succeeded. 

And they were more than ready to give up their lives in this fight if it meant a safe future for their loved ones.


	41. Chapter 41

Once the siege began, Felicity stayed in the base camp, helping the healers care for those brought back. She and Thelris quickly prove themselves to be the most powerful mage healers, and the severe cases are sent their way. And while so many come back injured, so many more don’t come back at all, and it breaks Felicity’s heart. She pours every ounce of her strength into healing, wearing herself down only to knock back a few potions- though she is careful to avoid the lyrium potions offered to her- and gets back to work. 

They were getting close to breaking through the last gate, and once through, they could start clearing out the rest of the fortress. Each hour saw the Veil growing weaker and weaker, and it was beginning to affect their own mages.

Solas had to start setting up wards around each tent with a mage in it to try and keep them from falling victim to the insane amount of demons filling the Fade in this area. He spent most of his time with Cullen and the others, trying to help them combat the thin Veil and new small rifts appearing every few hours.

When a few Templar’s brought up the fact that Solas alone was allowed to venture around camp without supervision, their Commander had something interesting to say about it, something that had every other Templar confused and a little more scared of the hobo apostate. Cullen told them that he had no worries about Solas falling prey to possession, that he has a way with spirits that Cullen has never seen in all his years. A demon might kill him, but it would never possess him. Solas is too much like they are.

“I need you with me, Solas. You’re the only other one who can help me close rifts.” Acacia, desperate and tired from all the fighting and rift closing, begs Solas the thirteenth night of still not breaking through. 

“I…” Solas pauses, trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. If he went with Acacia, even just to help, there was still a chance he would end up in the Fade. “I will not go into the Fade; I promised Felicity.” 

“That’s fine. I don’t need you to come into the Fade; I just need your help getting into the damn fortress.”

“I will do what I can.” Acacia nearly falls over as she sighs in relief.

“Thank you! Bull is getting the Chargers all settled, and then we’re heading back in. Should be maybe a little more than an hour?” Solas nods, turning around in search of Felicity to tell her this new development. He’d done well thus far not getting sucked into the majority of the fighting, but it seemed he would have to venture in anyway.

“Shh, it’s okay, it’s all going to be okay, sweetheart, I promise. Can you take a deep breath for me?” Felicity sits by the cot of one young soldier; the poor boy’s legs burned almost beyond recognition. Felicity’s magic soothes what she can, Thelris working feverishly to heal what he could and stabilize him as another healer works on amputating the destroyed appendages. 

Solas waits patiently as they work, jumping in to help heal a few others brought in who were critically wounded while Felicity and Thelris are tied up.

“Vhen’an, a moment?” Felicity nods as she slowly stands, the young man she’s been helping finally drifting off to sleep. He would live, which is more than they can say he would have been doing had she and Thelris not been there.

“Hey…” Felicity sighs as she falls against him. Solas immediately wraps his arms and spirit around her, leaching away some of the tension, frowning when he can feel just how worn out she is. “What’s up, honey?”

“Acacia has requested my presence during this next trip into Adamant. They are close to breaking through and are hoping this will be the final push. I have already spoken with her, and she knows I will not be following her into the Fade.”

“Oh… okay, yeah, that’s- that’s…” Felicity takes a shuddering breath, overwhelmed for a moment by terror. She couldn’t lose him, not now. She knew it was greedy and unfair that she would rather risk other people’s lives than his, but that’s simply how it was.

“Felicity, shh, I am not going to leave you. I have fought in and survived far worse battles than this. I will only be helping her to the center of the keep; from there, she will be working with the others to get into the Fade and face the Nightmare.”

“I can’t raise a baby by myself-!”

“You will not have to. I am not going to die here.”

“Why you?”

“Because you are not going, there is no one to help Dorian protect the Anchor’s magic. I have done what I can to strengthen the Anchor, to better bind it to Acacia, but that does not change the fact that the energy is vulnerable as it connects with rifts.” Solas’ voice doesn’t waiver, the calm, soothing tone getting rid of a little of her fear. Logically she knew it would take quite a lot to kill her ancient elven husband, who was on par with the would-be gods from elven histories, but still, she worried. 

“Promise you’ll be careful?”

“I swear to you, vhen’an, I will take no unnecessary risks.” He drops a soft kiss to her forehead, hugging her a little tighter as he waits for the remaining time to slip away. “Stay with Llewellyn and Adaar. I will be back shortly.” Neither one of them really believed it would be short, but Felicity nodded and tried to smile.

“I love you.”

“As I love you.” Solas kisses her one last time before heading off towards the entrance to their tent village. Acacia stands there with Varric, Dorian, Blackwall, and Cassandra. Bull is off to the side, talking to his Chargers, who all look ready for battle. “Is everything in place?”

“Yeah, let’s go. Felicity holding up alright?”

“No, she is not. She is stretching herself too thin, trying to heal every man and woman that comes back. Each one she cannot save is breaking her heart. The fact that so many are already not coming back only makes it worse for her. We need to put an end to this.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Acacia squares her shoulders, turning to face the group before barking out orders, everyone grabbing a mount and racing across the small gap of desert between them and Adamant. 

The stench of death and corruption hangs heavy in the air; the twisted magic from the Warden’s rituals makes Solas’ skin crawl. They had to put a stop to this madness.

They charge in with the next wave of soldiers, Hawke and Stroud already wading through the mess. Acacia would make her way to them when they had the chance. First, they had to help their men clear a way in and break through the last barrier keeping them out.

Acacia quickly deals with a few of the smaller rifts, Solas and Dorian making sure to help protect the tether from the Anchor to ensure it went as quickly as possible. There wasn’t any time to waste.

Solas watches as those he travels with break a little more with each new horror they stumble upon. The Warden’s had done more than just blood magic with themselves as the sacrifices. There are whole rooms full of corpses of what look like civilians, men and women and children who had no business being here. And slowly but surely, those corpses are becoming the hosts for even more demons. 

But as terrible as this was, Solas had seen worse. He’d seen oceans run red from blood; he’d seen massive spires that were treated as mere decorations despite being created from corpses, he’d seen thousands of infants sacrificed for no other purpose than to appease the Evanruis’ lust for blood and death.

Solas has to admit, though, this is one of the worst things he’d seen mortals create with their own hands.

There seems no end to the demons and corrupted Warden’s accompanying them; for every one they strike down, three more appear. 

“We’re getting nowhere!” Acacia screams, releasing a blast of magic into the last remaining shade in the room. “I’m so fucking sick of this!” Tears stream down her cheeks, trailing through the blood and muck caked all over her, all over all of them.

“We do not have time to keep wasting on this.” Solas shakes his head; he’d been able to feel Felicity getting ever more worried as the hour’s drug on with no words saying they were successful in their mission. “If I may?” He motions for everyone to come closer. With the staff blade, he quickly traces some runes on the floor around the small group. At this point, he didn’t care if they thought it was weird magic. He just wanted to put this whole battle behind him. 

He wanted to hold Felicity and tell her that it was finally over. 

He wanted to bring her light back. 

“What’re you gonna do, Chuckles?”

“Speed this process along. If we can clear the battlements, Cullen’s men can get a foothold, and we can finish breaking through to the last gate without having to worry of attacks from above.”

“And how are we going to get up there from here? Leliana said there were only a few places we can get up through-” Acacia is cut off as a glowing blue platform suddenly appears beneath their feet before hovering up into the air. “Holy shit, why didn’t we do this before-” Again, she’s cut off when she turns to look at Solas, who looks to be in a great deal of pain as he concentrates. 

It had been some time since he had to fight to gather magic together for spells, but with the Veil as distorted as it was here, it was challenging to get what he needed. It didn’t help that the Nightmare was corrupting the Fade around it, making it harder for mages who were not used to drawing on such power to create spells. While they attacked, little spells were no trouble, but feats of magic like he is currently demonstrating required much of him and his mana. Unfortunately, his mana didn’t recover as quickly as Felicity’s. It would take time to regenerate; he had enough in him to maintain barriers but little else. If he expended much more mana, Felicity would start to feel its effects as well, and he didn’t want her worrying and coming to find them.

Any other battle and Solas would have stepped back. Claimed he had nothing more to fight with and bow out, but they needed all the help they could get. And though this would no doubt bring up questions he would rather not answer, he was going to do it anyway. 

Once atop the battlement, Solas quickly glances around until he finds what he’s looking for. A longsword clutched in the hands of a dead Warden, not poorly made, but nothing compared to his own blade. He wished he’d be able to bring it without drawing unwanted attention to himself. Maybe one day, he would be able to again; Virdi had outdone herself with it. It seemed a shame to keep it locked away from the world. 

“What are you gonna do with that?” Bull’s eye locks onto Solas, not that the elf had expected anything less. Before Solas has a moment to reply, one of the Warden corpses starts to rise, possessed by yet another demon, but it never gets the chance to get its feet under it. A quick slash from Solas, who didn’t even look at the creature, has the head separating from the body, the demon screaming for a moment before it’s sent back to the Fade.

“Well, shit, how long have you been able to fight with a sword?”

“I never claimed I could not. We need to move. They are aware of our presence.” Solas’ cool tone stops Varric from asking any other questions as they rush towards where the Warden’s and demons are gathering to face them.

“Well, well, well, thought you were never gonna show!” Hawke jokes as she clocks one of the demons in the head with her bow, and Stroud deals the final blow against two wraiths behind her. Fenris is there in an instant to slice the creature into multiple pieces, and with the extra help from Acacia and her group, they have this section of the battlements cleared in no time. 

On and on, they push until the only people they see up here are Inquisition soldiers armed with ranged weapons to make the demons pay for taking as many lives as they had.

The closer they get to the central courtyard, to where the ritual was taking place, the more Solas felt like knives were raking through him. The combination of the sick magic and tattered Veil did not just affect him. Acacia, Dorian, and Hawke showed discomfort as well, but as they were not as attuned to the Fade as Solas was, the effects were somewhat muted for them.

It was still nothing pleasant.

The large rift is near completion by the time they get to it, piles of bodies scattered around, Erimond having sped up the process in an attempt to get the Nightmare through quicker. Corypheus had warned him of the Herald coming, and the Inquisitor who knew of the future. They had plans in place for the Outworlder, but it was up to Erimond to deal with the Herald. 

Before Acacia even gets a chance to try and convince the Warden’s she is not truly there for them, the corrupted dragon soars overhead, raining down destruction on them. She curses, racing after Erimond, who turned tail to escape again, just like Felicity had said. Solas remains at the rift with Dorian, both mages trying what they could to stabilize the Veil, or at least keep it from getting any worse.

But unlike Felicity’s description of the event, they get to Erimond first. Acacia, Hawke, and Stroud all surge forward to deal with the arrogant Tevinter mage, the others hanging back to keep the demons at bay. The dragon lands on the keep, between Acacia and the others. Still, before they can even begin to fight it, Warden-Commander Clarel appears, blasting the corrupted creature with so much lightning, even those watching from a distance could feel the energy in the air.

“We’re on the wrong side!” Varric shouts as he tries to run towards where Acacia is screaming at Erimond. Blackwall and Cassandra aren’t having any more luck, and before they know it, Clarel is launching another attack at the dragon, this one causing the stones they were standing on to start to crack and shift.

“Herald, look out!” Cassandra screams as the dragon tries to pounce on them all, but instead of hitting its target, all the attack does is cause the keep to crumble beneath it. The dragon takes to the air with a shriek, Acacia, Hawke, and Stroud all tumbling down with the rock and rubble.

“No!” Varric pulls Fenris back, the elf moving forward instead of backward as he watches Hawke fall. But instead of hitting the ground like Erimond, Acacia vanished in a blast of green magic; Hawke and Stroud lost in the magic as well before it disappeared.

“We have to tell Cullen and the others that the Herald is in the Fade. Now.”

In the courtyard, Solas can feel the shift of magic as the Herald creates a rift for them to fall into. He turns to Dorian; the man has watched his back all this time as Solas worked to keep the Veil from finally tearing. Solas was too weak to be truly useful here; all he could manage to do with as little mana as he had was keep the demons pushing at it from the other side from making it any worse. 

“They have made it in.”

“Well, it’s about time!” Dorian sends another arc of lightning bouncing through the several demons in front of him, using the few moments they were stunned to down another lyrium potion. “How long before they get out and fix this?”

“I do not know; it is hard for Felicity to judge times and make accurate guesses from her games to the real world here. This battle has already lasted much longer than it did in the game.”

“Maybe this portion will be faster than her game.”

“I doubt it.” Dorian rolls his eyes at Solas’ dry tone, but before he can say a witty retort, his eyes catch on three people that should not be here right now. “Kaffas…!”

“What are you doing here?” Solas rushes up to them, weaving between the demons to reach them.

“It was not exactly as the Inquisitor said. We were separated. They fell before we could get to them.”

“Then they are in the Fade alone?”

“Acacia is there, Hawke and Stroud fell in right afterward, but then the rift vanished.”

“What are we supposed to do?” Solas’ face hardens into a stoic mask before turning back to the enormous rift that the demons were still trying to create. 

“We have faith that they can finish this, Master Tethras. We keep this rift from opening until they return.”

~~~~~

“Still nothing?”

“No, still no word. Da’asha, please lay back down. You need to rest. You used too much of your magic with that last patient.”

“You can’t seriously expect me to be able to sleep right now!”

“You must rest. As soon as I hear anything, you have my word that I will wake you.” Felicity had been carried to this tent after wearing herself out at the healer’s tent again. She’d been there this entire time, only taking a few hours to rest here and there before launching back into it. 

Panelan and Adaar stood guard outside the tent, a few other guards stationed around the other side. They hadn’t told her, but there had been several assassins caught in their midst, all of which had their sights set on Felicity. It seemed Corypheus finally saw fit to try and take away the advantage Felicity’s knowledge gave them. 

It took some time before word of Acacia’s jump into the Fade made it back to the main camp, and true to his word, Panelan woke up Felicity to let her know. He wished he hadn’t, though, because she immediately ran from the tent to find the Advisors and hopefully get some more information about what was going on in that hell hole.

“Reports say only Hawke and Stroud made it into the rift before it closed.”

“That’s not enough people!” Felicity feels like her whole body is freezing, icy terror leaching into every inch of her. There was no way they could make it through there with only three people. Two mages and a warrior were not nearly enough! “...I have to go.”

The answering chorus of no’s would have been funny if the world weren’t currently falling apart around them.

“I don’t wanna go jumping in either, but I’m the only other one who can get into the Fade! If I can get into the rift and distract the Nightmare, they’ll have a chance of getting out, of defeating it and stopping it’s control of the demons currently summoned.”

“You’re-”

“I’m sorry guys, but this isn’t really a discussion.” Felicity interrupts Cullen, everyone in the group blinking at the blinding light that fills the tent for a moment. She’s gone when they open them again, both Panelan and Adaar immediately running for the room and towards their mounts. They probably couldn’t beat her there, but they would try.

Solas was going to be furious.

The entire time she flies through the air, Felicity cries. This isn’t what she wanted to be doing, she knows this will be a hundred times worse than Redcliffe, but there wasn’t any other choice. They needed Acacia and Hawke and Stroud to come out alive. She wasn’t even sure how she would distract the demon that some assumed to be one of the oldest demons in existence. 

She lands in the courtyard, her stomach threatening to empty itself as she sees all the blood coating the grounds and the bodies piling ever higher. No one notices her appear, everyone too busy fighting to keep the demons away from the rift. She takes out her staff, trying to calm herself as she prepares to jump into the swirling green magic, but before she can, a hand grabs her arm.

“He was right; my master knew you would come out if your people were separated.” Felicity turns to see a man in a dark cloak standing there with a blade raised high overhead. Before he can say anything else, an arrow is lodged in his neck. 

“What in the ever-loving _fuck_ are you doing here, Lissy?!”

“Vhen’an!” Solas yells, immediately changing course to get to where she stands, clutching her staff. She’d never seen him fight with a melee weapon before; Felicity was surprised by his speed and grace with the blade. “You should not be here!”

“I have to go help. Acacia isn’t gonna make it out on her own.”

“No-” Both Solas and Percy are cut off by the scream of Corypheus’ dragon above them.

“I have to go. Come with me?” She turns fearful eyes to Solas, begging him to say yes. She was going regardless. It would ease at least a little bit of the fear to know she wasn’t going alone. He meets her gaze for a heartbeat before nodding. There wasn’t much magical potential left within him; he’d spread himself thing over the past weeks, but especially so these last few days.

Solas hadn’t told anyone, but he’d been sending out fragments of his spirit to help steady the Veil around Adamant, slowing the ritual Erimond was trying to speed up. Add that to the constant fighting, and he was so far beyond drained right now. But he would rather be magicless with her in the Fade than be here with magic and not know her fate. 

“There is nowhere else I could be.” Solas takes her outstretched hand, turning to Percy, who was busy firing arrows and keeping the demons at bay. “Do not let them get to the Rift.” Before Percy could reply, Felicity is pulling Solas towards the massive rift. 

Percy cusses as they disappear, fighting the demons with renewed energy. Why did Lissy always have to be in the middle of the mess? For once, why couldn’t she just be chilling on the sidelines?

~~~~~

For several impossibly long moments, it felt like falling. Felicity’s stomach is in her shoes, her heart pounding in her throat, any sense of reality shifting uncomfortably around her. 

Then, all at once, it stops. She and Solas stand in the Fade, the Nightmare twisting the landscape to its whim. Instead of looking around like she wants to, she keeps her eyes forward, knowing that the hellscape they were standing in was nothing she wanted to remember. 

“Well, well, well, what have we here? I thought you were not going to come into my realm.”

“This isn’t your realm.” Felicity’s voice shakes, the Nightmare’s voice alone sending jolts of terror arching through her.

“No, little one, this isn’t _your_ realm. But by all means, come in. There is so much I wished to see from you.” The giant demon, the monstrous mass of terror all condenses down into a humanoid body. It’s just a little too tall, it’s arms and legs just a little too long, its features a bit too sharp. Felicity’s mind screams at her to run, to flee, to get away as fast as she can because everything about this creature was wrong. 

“I’ve been watching you, little Outworlder, I’ve seen your nightmares. Back on your world, they had tales about creatures such as I. But only one scared you, scarred you that night.” Felicity immediately knows what memory he’s talking about. Charlie had wanted to do haunted houses one Halloween. That wasn’t the problem; she had no issues with haunted houses. But the one they went to wasn’t just a typical haunted house. It was a whole event, there was a maze, and you had to sign waivers before going in. By the time Felicity knew what was going on, it was too late to turn back. 

It was terrible, so many steps above the other haunted houses she’d been at. And when they got to the corn maze, Charlie thought it would be funny to get separated. They had someone dressed up as a scarecrow chasing people through the corn, and they had speakers set up to further scare people. 

“Fiddlesticks, end of men, Fiddlesticks, first of ten.” The Nightmares voice changes as he chants, a perfect replica of what she had heard that night as she ran. “Through the field, down the lane, voices never heard again. High above the rotten rows, cloth and metal, teeth and crows. Reap and sow, reap and sow.”

“Sh-shut up, no one likes a copycat.” Felicity tries to sound angry, but she’s terrified, her whole body shaking as she tries to stand tall.

“Is that the best you have, little one?” It laughs, it’s voice returning to normal, taking a few steps closer, but Solas was having none of that. He steps in front of Felicity, one arm out protectively in front of her, the other brandishing the sword. “What is it you think you can do to me, Dread Wolf? You were weak back then, weaker still now.”

Solas doesn’t answer it, doesn’t rise to the challenge, uncaring of the insults it throws in his direction. 

“You have changed, haven’t you.” It smiles, pointed teeth on full display for them to see, it’s soulless eyes snapping back to Felicity. “You haven’t seen all that happened back then, how weak your husband truly was. But perhaps you should, then you will know full well who the father of your child is.” Solas opens his mouth to shout at it, but the sound is lost as the Fade shifts violently around them. Instead of trying to make himself heard, he turns to Felicity.

“It is not real, whatever it shows us, it is not real. It is in the past; I am okay, I am right here.” He takes hold of Felicity’s hand, fighting against the demon’s magic crushing them, pinning them into place for the show. Solas hopes Felicity heard him, understood, her hazy terrified eyes already lock ahead of them. 

So long as the Nightmare was preoccupied with them, with tormenting Solas, it meant he was not paying attention to Acacia. And though he hated to admit it, right now, he didn’t have the strength to fight against it. 

The Fade finally stopped shifting, and Solas’ heart sank at what he saw. He knew that section of the forest, that small ruined outpost. He would never be able to forget it. That’s where everything changed, where everything fell apart. 

~~~~~

Solas, in his wolf form, is running fast, hoping to get back to Arlathan, to Vunora, sooner rather than later. He’d had an idea to repair her weakened body while he was with the Dun’himelan, and if it worked, maybe she would survive, would live to see an end to this ridiculous conflict. 

His hackles raise as he feels magic in the air, Solas slowing his pace, sharp eyes scanning the landscape before him. Nothing seems out of place, but then he hears a familiar deranged cackling from the woods. What in the world was Andruil doing here across the border? She would ruin all the work they made Solas put in to find peace unless… unless this was all an elaborate ruse.

He snarls, turning and jumping into the woods to find the wretched snake of a woman. Solas should have known better than to think the Evanuris would ever settle with peace, and though he didn’t understand why they bothered sending him here, he was determined to find out. 

Andruil stays just out of reach of his magic, continuing to cackle and laugh as she runs. Solas was about to lose his patience when he jumped into a large clearing and saw Andruil standing at the far end. But more than that, there are a great number of the Evanuris’ elite guards here, Falon’Din and June standing behind them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Solas snarls, not shifting back, instead growing in size, his magic lashing out violently around him.

“Despite only having been with us these last several hundred years, you’ve quickly risen in popularity among the common people.” June says with a calm smile, looking at peace despite his surroundings. “And when they hear that their beloved Fen’Harel was taken captive by the Dun’himelan leader while he was there to broker peace, well… it would be enough to push them over the edge against those shapeshifting bastards.” A great deal of rage appeared on his face as he talked of the Dun’himelan, the man had always been jealous of their ability to create so effortlessly. 

“Elgar’nan has given up permission to take you-”

“We can do whatever we like!” Andruil interrupts Falon’Din, earning her a fierce glare. “Rip you apart, tear you to pieces, mine, mine, **mine!”** She screams and leaps forward towards him. The guards all surged forward as well, weapons out, and aimed at Solas. 

But his fury was unmatched, and with a loud snarl, his magic sinks deep into the ground, wrapping around the feet of guards and pulling them under the shifting waves of earth. They’re crushed, killed in mere moments, not even enough time for them to scream out in agony. 

But Andruil isn’t caught, and her blade from the Void slices deep into his shoulder. 

That’s when the fight begins in earnest, Falon’Din, and June jumping into the fray. Eventually, Solas changes back to his normal form to better fight off the multitude of attacks. 

Days pass as they fight, the four of them changing the very landscape as they clash. Eventually, Solas falls into one of June’s traps, falling to the ground, his arms and legs paralyzed. 

Andruil cackles as she binds him up, Falon’Din and June turning back to set the stage and make it look like an ambush from the Dun’himelan. Solas fights tooth and nail against the witch’s binds, to no avail, only pausing when he feels different magic around them.

He’s used to searching out sources of magic; it takes him only moments to find who it was. He’s surprised to see the Dun’himelan boy from the raid he had saved standing there leaning around a tree for cover. Panelan couldn’t believe his eyes when he stumbled upon several Elvhen First Born fighting against the man they met as Solas. It was unfathomable that they would kidnap their own, torture him only because they could, all just to start a war between the two peoples. 

Eventually, Andruil catches on to the new magic, head raising, ready to hunt them as well, but Solas starts fighting against the bonds harder to draw her attention back. He could at least save someone, give the Dun’himelan a chance to prepare for the war that was coming their way.

_Run!_

Solas sends telepathically, a new talent he’d learned from a few of the Dun’himlan he’d met while on his fake diplomatic mission.

_Warn them!_

That is all the prompting Panelan needs to turn around and start racing back home. Solas was right; they needed to be warned. It wouldn’t be long before Arlathan’s armies marched upon them. If they were to stand against the tide- stand against the Elvhen’s considerable numbers- they would need every advantage they could get. 

“No…!” Felicity whispers, pulling against her own bindings as she watches a younger version of Solas get dragged off and caged. Disgust and horror fill her as she watches what Andruil does to him, the witch torturing him every day, breaking him down for years and years until he’s little more than a vegetable. She tears into him, trying to get his knowledge, but he never once gives her an ounce of the information she wanted. 

He would die first.

All the while, the Evanuris waged war against the Dun’himelan. The soldiers the Evanuris lost meant nothing to them. They were just pawns, things to be used and discarded. The same couldn’t be said for the Dun’himelan. Their numbers were already not as great as their Elvhen brothers, and each loss was felt keenly. 

It wasn’t long before they were making plans to retreat, to disappear to where the Evnaruis couldn’t reach them. They could rebuild, recover, leave the violent children to their own devices. After all, it wouldn’t be long before the people rose up against their leaders. 

But a few of the Dun’himelan First Born were not content to simply run away. They wanted to make the Evanuris pay for what they’d taken, what they thoughtlessly destroyed in the lust for power. And though he wasn’t as high up as the First Born, Panelan fought hard, used every ounce of his power to convince his people they couldn’t just leave their homes, leave those oppressed by the Evanuris. He tried time and again to get permission to try and find Solas, find the man who’d given them the chance to prepare. But each time, he was denied, and he wasn’t foolish enough to try it on his own.

“Enough, Panelan, we will hear no more on this subject.” Daern’thal, the leader of the Dun’himelan, said, cutting short the young man’s pleading case before the council once more. “We are leaving this place. We will head across the sea. Several of our people have already found a suitable land for us to call our own, far away from the Evanuris.”

“But Solas-”

“He knew what he was doing. We are grateful for his sacrifice, but we cannot spare the people it would take to remove him from Andruil’s grasp.” With a frustrated shout, he turns around and storms out, fists clenched tight as he heads to his brother’s house. His wife Virdi, one of the few Elvhen in their city, would no doubt be there. 

“Let me guess, they said no again.” She doesn’t even bother with a greeting as he loudly enters the house. 

“Of course, they said no again. If we saved him, if he fought with us, we could turn the tides on in this endless war. I know it!”

“If we got him out of Andruil’s grasp, I could promise you, he wouldn’t be up for anything. She is as imaginative in her ways of torture as she is crazy. I doubt they’ve killed Fen’Harel, but he would be in no shape to fight.” Virdi says with a little shrug. She’d met the man a few times, but there were never great chances to talk and get to know him. Still, he didn’t treat other elves as less than him. He didn’t talk down to them. And when he’d interacted with Dun’himelan, he acted precisely as he did when he spoke with Elvhen. 

“Daern’thal is setting up plans to leave; they have found somewhere across the ocean that could serve as a new home for us.”

“But…?”

“I won’t go, not knowing they still have him. He saved me twice, and he saved the lives of many of us when he gave me the chance to run. It isn’t right that we would just leave him to the hands of the Evanuris.”

“I agree.” Both Panelan and Virdi’s heads snap up at the new voice, shocked to see one of the First Born, one of the council, standing there. Anaris, who was one of the few who was determined to fight, quietly shut the door behind him. “But the council has made its decision. As soon as the rest of our people get back, we will be leaving. I must go and help with the reconstruction, but- if you are truly determined to free Fen’Harel-I will offer what help I can.”

A wave of his hand and a flicker of magic passes through the room; shortly thereafter, several weapons appear on the table. And not just any weapons, but crystalline blades forged from the very essence of the Dun’himelan. Few were capable of harnessing the power to create such masterpieces, and fewer still that would part with them. 

“Andruil uses weapons crafted from the Void to fight; these will see those blades ruined. I have taken care to enchant them myself. I wish you luck.”

Just as quickly as he’d come, Anaris was gone, leaving Panelan and Virdi to gawk at the gift. 

“Well, you just might have a chance now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Fiddlesticks part is from League of Legends. I found some quotes one night while deep down a YouTube rabbit hole, and all I could think about was the Nightmare from Dragon Age. I wish there would have been a little more interaction with the Nightmare- beyond the passing quotes to unhinge everyone. Also, I just really love what they did with Fiddlesticks' voice, and how the quotes were all like the victim's last words. A+ work.


	42. Chapter 42

Panelan had more than a chance, and he proved it when he went out in search of Andruil’s lair. Thelris and Virdi both came along as well, feeling they owed it to Solas after all he’d done. And the idea of being able to give Andruil a taste of her own medicine was too good to pass up. 

They fought their way into her fortress, her slaves hardly a threat they had to worry about, and the creatures from the Void she had guarding her gates were no match for the weapons Anaris had created. 

All three thought they were prepared for what they would find in the dungeons, but they were woefully mistaken. 

Felicity can’t believe it when she sees the broken body of Solas caged over a fire, close enough to burn but not kill. He wasn’t even reacting to the pain anymore, dead eyes locked onto nothing, his spirit utterly broken. Wounds and scars cover his entire body, and when they go rushing up to him, there is no visible reaction from him. 

“That is your husband.” The Nightmare hisses, drowning out the sound of the trio facing off against a crazed Andruil. “A broken man. A killer. A monster, destroyer of his own people.” Solas had closed his eyes when the Fade showed Panelan and everyone else going deeper into the fortress, not needing to see it again to know what they would find. Memories of those long years spent in Andruil’s clutch rise up, but he pushes them down, away, anywhere but playing before his eyes.

“You’re wrong.” Solas turns to the side when he hears Felicity speak, her tone surprisingly steady. “He’s not a monster; you are. And I’m done listening to you try and spin your lies!” A blast of white magic explodes out from Felicity, the Nightmare shrieking as it’s pushed back, as both Felicity and Solas are freed. 

“You wretched mortal’s never learn!” It howls, but Felicity doesn’t pay it any mind, blasting it again and again with her magic. “You could save yourself so much suffering if you just knew when to give in!” It retaliates with a wave of magic all it’s own, and it crashes over Felicity before Solas can try and create a barrier. She’s knocked back, paralyzed on the ground, frozen in agony as the Nightmare tears through her consciousness.

Solas expends the last of his magic with a loud cry, severing the link between the Nightmare and Felicity. She passes out a moment later, though that was better than her suffering in silence as they fought. The Nightmare takes a lurching step forward, reaching out an arm towards Felicity, not done by far with rooting through her mind, but Solas’ blade slicing through the air stops it short. Dark eyes flicker to Solas, it’s sick smile growing larger as it sees how drained he is.

“What are you going to do?” Solas doesn’t rise to the taunts the demon throws at him, taking a few deep breaths as he moves directly between the Nightmare and Felicity. With another slice, almost faster than the eye can track, he cuts a long line into the ground.

“No further.” The Nightmare laughs, but Solas had every intention of keeping his quiet word. The Nightmare would make it no further; it would not get Felicity, not while he drew breath.

The fight began in earnest then, Solas holding his own as his spirit steadily returned to him, relying on the link with Felicity, borrowing her power to restore his own. Soon, he is mixing magic into his attacks, able to create barriers to stop the larger attacks. And not once does the Nightmare get across the line. 

Acacia had steadily been getting closer, Solas able to feel his mark in the Fade like a beacon. 

As Solas continues to replenish his power through Felicity, he keeps on pushing. There was no limit to what he could access now that he and Felicity were physically here in the Fade. But just as he grows in power, so does the demon, feeding on the fears of those still in the waking world. The longer the Herald and Inquisitor are gone, the more everyone begins to fear Corypheus finally won.

Solas sends a barrage of lightning bolts at the demon, and it screams, frustrated beyond all reason that this elf was holding his own against it. It makes to dive at where Felicity lays once more, but this time is stopped by a fireball aimed at his eyes. The Nightmare’s head cranes around, twisting unnaturally, snarling as he sees Acacia standing there panting with Hawke and Stroud. 

“This was your plan, Dread Wolf? Sic your little Herald on me?” It screams, but Solas just smiles. He could hear the terror in its voice. Clearly, Corypheus had shared the information about what happened in Felicity’s game when the Herald got here.

It bothered Solas that Corypheus knew that Felicity was from somewhere else, but that was an issue for another time. He wanted Felicity out of here as soon as possible.

It shifts back to its monstrously large form with a shriek in a desperate attempt to keep from losing.

“You couldn’t stop me, you’re Outworlder couldn’t stop me, what makes you think some little mortal waving around your mark could stop me!?”

Solas was tired. He was physically exhausted, mentally drained, and his emotions were still raw from the memories the Nightmare had shown them. He knows Acacia heard the Nightmares words, knew that she was looking back and forth between it and Solas, clearly confused.

Hopefully, she didn’t react the same way to learning who he was as other Dalish clans had. 

“This whole time has never been about beating you, about winning. I merely needed to keep you distracted so they could make it through the Fade. And you are so arrogant, it was easy.” Solas throws caution to the wind, casting off every barrier he kept in place normally to hide who- what- he was. His aura explodes out around him, Acacia and Hawke gawking at what they can now see. 

What normally would only be felt and noticed by the most sensitive of mages, is now strong enough to be visible to the naked eye. His spirit lashes around Solas' body, the blue-green energy only getting stronger with each passing second. When he speaks, each word is laced with power, demanding attention, obedience. The Fade around them shifts, bending easily to his will as it was no longer the Nightmare who held the most power here. Acacia watches as the air around Solas flickers, the Fade drawing up images of the elf in his prime, an angry elven god. 

She can’t believe her eyes.

Suddenly, Cole is standing next to him, a sheathed blade in hand, the boy not at all surprised by what was going on around him, though he did look a little uncomfortable that he was in the Fade at all.

“You need your blade. I found it for you. You should visit; he’s been waiting for so long, lonely, loyal.” Cole quietly says to Solas, who can’t stop the surprise on his face. 

“How- no, it matters little. We will speak of it later. Thank you, Cole.” The boy nods, and just like that, he’s gone. Solas turns back to the confused Nightmare, his smile downright vicious as he unsheathes the blade. Virdi had crafted it from a shard of titan bone, what remained of Durgenathe’s body coveted by the dwarves because of the power it still held. 

He never did find out how she got her hands on such a treasure.

Solas’ magic hums within the blade in a heartbeat, and it felt right to finally have it back in hand. The blade acts as a sort of focus, resonating with his magic and echoing it back. And though the feats he could accomplish with his focus that Corypheus now had were far more extraordinary, this was easier to use in the heat of battle. 

“I am no mere mortal, and I am no longer the shadow of myself I was when I awoke. I am Fen’Harel, Elvhen First Born, Roamer of the Beyond, Creator of the Veil. You hold no power over me and mine!” Solas shouts, another blast of magic shifting him into his Dread Wolf form. He’s nearly as large as the Nightmare, and he stands protectively over Felicity and Acacia, his low growl shaking the Fade around them.

“You knew this was coming, Corypheus warned you, but it will change nothing. In her histories, they may have let you live, contented themselves with merely running after breaking your control over the demons. I will not be so forgiving!” He jumps forwards at the Nightmare, appearing from the face of the wolf and diving towards the Nightmare. Acacia and the others do a double-take with the wolf remains above them, standing guard, protecting them from any part of the demon that got too close.

It had been a long time since Solas really let himself go all out with his magic during a fight, but here in the Fade, he didn’t have to worry about too many people seeing him or getting caught in the crossfire. It was also so much easier to draw on magic here now that his mana had started to regenerate, though Felicity’s unique spirit's energy continued to help him fight, filling the gaps in his power.

Fear and terror quickly overwhelm the Nightmare, making its attack ineffective, and as it starts to make foolish mistakes, Solas goes in to finish it. The spirit of Faith that had borrowed Divine Justinia’s face appears behind him, and with her help severing the connection between the Nightmare and the summoned demons, Solas drives the blade right into the heart. 

It claws at Solas, desperate to get away, to try and run, but he doesn’t let it get even an inch further away from him. Solas’ eyes flash bright with power as he pours his magic into the wound, letting it destroy the Nightmare from the inside out. 

“They are waiting for you, Dread Wolf; they have been watching, preparing for when they are freed. You will not survive their wrath.”

“You say this as if it were news to me. They were always going to escape; I knew the Veil would not last forever, would not keep them from destroying the world in their greed. But it would buy me time to find a way to destroy them for good.”

“You’re no closer to that than you were before.” The Nightmare almost sounds sad about that, having stopped fighting as it began to disintegrate back into the raw power of the Fade.

“I am, and more than that, I am no longer alone. They will not take this world from The People, from _any_ people.” As Solas pulls the blade back, the Nightmare changes forms, those watching amazed when they see a little boy standing there, his body softly glowing. He looked far too innocent to be the one responsible for the hell they’d been through. “That witch twisted you like she had many others, but you are free now.”

Solas’ tone softens as he kneels down in front of the boy, the last of the hellscape around them vanishing as a quiet serenity fills the Fade. 

“Thank you.” Its voice was clear as a bell, light and bright, Acacia having trouble connecting that childlike voice with the voice the Nightmare had been using before. “You should leave. They are waiting on the other side. They’ve been waiting for a while.” The boy bows its head to Solas before it too disintegrates. 

The Dread Wolf that had been standing watch over the others vanishes as soon as the last remnants of the Nightmare do, and Solas sighs. If he thought he was tired before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. The weight of everyone’s eyes is heavy on his shoulders, and when he turns around, Acacia opens her mouth to voice her concerns. He raises a hand to cut her off, a little surprised when that works.

“I will explain what I can later; for now, we must leave.” Again, Solas is surprised when she just nods, her mouth snapping shut as she starts to march towards the massive tear in the Veil. Hawke and Stroud follow her lead, neither really understanding the significance of what they saw, but both were intimidated no small amount by Solas’ display. 

He is by Felicity’s side in a heartbeat, flickers of his spirit brushing against her trying to wake her up. It doesn’t work, which worries Solas a little, but he just picks her up and carries her toward where the others are waiting. 

Solas knew time would pass differently in the Fade; he assumed it would only be intensified being here physically. But he thought there would only be a few hours difference at most. Instead, they walk from the rift to see the bright midday sun, a ring of Inquisition soldiers standing at the ready around the large rift. 

A wave of nausea washed over them all as time began to work correctly for them again, their bodies undergoing several day’s worths of changes in the matter of a few seconds. They stumble, trying to focus through all the warring sensations trying to get their attention, but Acacia thankfully turns to close the rift with a wave of her hand. With no resistance on this side or on the other, it easily snaps shut. 

If only they could all be that easy. 

Silence fills the courtyard as everyone stares at those who had stepped through, none daring to believe that this nightmare was finally over. But all too soon that peace is broken, someone shouting to tell the Advisors. They are swarmed the small group, too many of them talking at once for anyone to be understood. 

“Move!” Adaar barks from somewhere in the back, the people immediately listening and stepping to the side to give the three men room to push forward. Percy is leading them, his heart racing as he prays to see Felicity again. It had been five days since she and Solas went into the Fade to help Acacia, and not once had he ever stopped worrying.

“Is she okay? Solas, what’s wrong with her?”

“The Nightmare got into her mind, but I was able to break the connection before he caused too much damage. She just needs some rest to recover; everything else seems to be fine. It has been many days since she had a decent night’s rest.”

“I’ll fucking say, how long were you guys planning to stay in there?!”

“It has only been a handful of hours for us, though it seems more time has passed out here.”

“Days passed, buddy, five fucking long ass days!” Solas passes Felicity to Percy, knowing if he had to spend days out here waiting for Felicity to come back, he would be reacting in a similar fashion. As they walked from the rift, Solas had used his magic to check every inch of Felicity and the baby. Everything seemed in order. No lingering curses or magical effects were causing her to remain unconscious. 

Felicity really just needed some sleep. 

~~~~~

A few hours later, Felicity starts to stir. Thelris himself had seen to her care, despite being dead tired himself. He would only take a few hours rest in between patients before bouncing back into the thick of it. Everyone was ready to leave this place behind. Maybe it was best Felicity was unconscious as they walked into the camp. The people around every bend staring off at nothing, trying to process everything they’d seen and been through these last few weeks, would have broken her heart. 

“I will wait until we return to the privacy of Skyhold for answers, but I do expect them, Solas.” He turns his eyes from Felicity to Acacia; Hawke and Stroud seem to be following her lead as they stand behind her. There is suspicion in her gaze and fear, but he supposed he is lucky she didn’t start attacking him on sight. No doubt she had been told twisted lies from the Dalish clans’ histories’.

“Of course, Herald, I already said I would explain what I could. I was not lying.” She opens her mouth to say something else but thinks better of it. Instead, she just nods before turning and practically running away.

“What was all that about?” Percy’s sharp eyes and ears miss nothing, and he immediately turns to Solas.

“I will explain once we reach Skyhold. I do not wish to risk having anyone eavesdropping. It-”

“...Solas?” Felicity’s murmur has everyone forgetting what they were doing as they scramble to get closer to her bed.

“I am right here, Felicity.”

“Is- is everyone okay?”

“Yes, we all made it out.”

“...The baby?”

“Is perfectly healthy.” Solas can’t help but smile at the relief that washes over Felicity at that little bit of news. 

“What happened to the Nightmare?”

“It has been dealt with. It will no longer be able to bind much of anything to Corypheus’ will.” Felicity nods, her eyes still remaining shut; it took too much effort to try and open them right now. “As soon as you are ready, we will be heading back to Skyhold.”

“I don’t think I can make a bridge yet.”

“They know. I told them it may be a little while before you are back to normal. We will march until you are able.”

“It’s hot, though.” Felicity’s whole face wrinkles up in disgust, and Solas quietly laughs. 

“We will survive, vhen’an.” 

“I’m gonna go back to sleep now. Tell Percy to do the same”

“I will. Sleep well, my love.” A flicker of his magic flicks out to cool her skin as she drifts back off to sleep. A quick glance tells Solas all he needs to know about the others. Each and every single one of them is utterly relieved; Percy, in particular, has tears racing down his cheeks. 

Panelan had done his best to keep the young man’s mind from spiraling, but as he too couldn’t assure Percy that Felicity was okay, it wasn’t an easy job. 

“She will be alright, Percy.” Panelan quietly says as he bumps shoulders with the young man, freezing for a moment when Percy suddenly spins around. He ends up hugging Panelan, shaking ever so slightly as he tries to keep himself from crying in earnest. “Come on, she’s gonna give us shit if we don’t rest up before seeing her again.”

He doesn’t fight it as Panelan leads him out, Adaar taking his place at the entrance of the tent, his eyes suspiciously wet as well. It won’t be much longer before they head out. Percy should take this chance to rest before it is gone. 

Solas sits down at the side of the cot, slouching back in the chair to try and rest a little himself. There was no going back from here, no taking back either his words or the Nightmare’s. The sword alone got him his fair share of strange looks when they got back. While the others didn’t outright ostracize him, they took their cues from Acacia, who kept her distance. 

“I will tell you what happened in the Fade with the other’s, Sister Nightingale.”

“I only wished to know how you learned to fight with a blade; my people said it was most impressive.” She kept her tone light, but Solas knew that if he opened his eyes, there would be an intense light shining in her eyes, a desire to know that he was all too familiar with. 

“I learned as anyone does, from their betters.”

“Where?”

“Why does it concern you?”

“Does the Inquisitor know?”

“Yes, she does. And once we return to Skyhold, you all shall know as well. If there is nothing else you need, I would like a few moments to rest before we begin our march.” Not once does Solas open his eyes as he addresses the Spymaster, and when he hears her leaving, he casts a few more wards around both himself and Felicity. He was sure she wouldn’t try anything, but it was better to be safe than sorry. 

Solas is almost asleep when Thelris comes back in, quickly checking over Felicity once more before turning his magic to Solas. Once he’s sure both are still alright, he falls into a chair much like Solas had. The looks Acacia had given Solas as they walked into camp had spoken volumes to those who knew the secrets he kept. Thelris knew Felicity wouldn’t allow anything to happen to Solas, and vise versa, but this was no small secret. This would change everything, and all Thelris could do was hope for the best, hope they would let Solas remain and work with them in earnest. 

He quite liked what the Inquisition had grown into; he didn’t want to leave without seeing this little endeavor through. 

A few hours pass in blissful silence, just about everyone settling down for a moment before beginning their long journey back home. Solas is glad to see spirits already returning to this section of the Fade, the Nightmare’s influence well and truly a thing of the past. 

One little spirit, in particular, makes Solas smile as it had been a long time since he’d seen one. Hope drifts around the Fade, stopping by various dreamers to share its power with them, bowing its head respectfully to Solas as it passes by.

“We have been waiting for you to act.” He turns to see Honor standing there, a spirit of Justice by its side. “It is nearly time for them to break free. She will undoubtedly try and enslave us again.”

“Andruil will be dealt with; they all will be. I am done watching them destroy this world.” Satisfied with the answer, both spirits return to wandering this section of the Fade, repairing what damage they could, and like Hope, offering fragments of their purpose to the people sleeping in the waking world. 

In the distance looms what the mortals had now dubbed as the Black City. But it was no home for the Maker, it was Arlathan, the majority of it at least, suspended here in the Fade for eternity. It was not corrupted by the mortals who entered the Fade all those years ago, any darkness festering there was of Elgar'nan's creation.

The Evanuris were always concerned about losing what they amassed. To keep their capital, or at least to try and keep it from being destroyed, they used magic to tie it to the Fade. When Solas created the Veil, Arlathan, just like every other piece of the Fade, was locked away as well. Where it had stood was now the Abyssal Rift, and when the Darkspawn made it up through the exposed Deep Roads there, they laid waste to the Western Approach. It was not always a desert wasteland, though it was far from Solas’ own forests. 

Even from here, he could feel whispers of Elgar’nan’s power coming from the depths of Arlathan, the seals keeping him and the others locked away deteriorating along with the Veil. It wouldn’t be long before they walked free. With a tired sigh, Solas slowly wakes himself. 

It was time to march; he was more than ready to go home.

~~~~~

Felicity is moved to one of the carts to continue resting while they begin their trip back to Skyhold. Many people make rounds visiting her, checking in from time to time just to make sure she yet lived. Percy and Solas remained constants at her side with Adaar and Panelan, not that anyone expected anything different. 

It’s slow going trudging through the sand, but complaints about it remained silent for the most part. They were the lucky ones, after all, to be going home. The same couldn’t be said for many who had made the journey here. The mages used ice and frost magic to keep all the corpses of their men from rotting, making sure none were possessed along the way. 

One night while they set up a temporary camp, Cole visits Solas, interrupting his studies as he appears on the floor next to Felicity.

“How did you get my blade, Cole? Was Felasil not still there?”

“He was- is. Waits and watches while years go by. You should visit. He wants to show you how good he’s gotten at guarding. Not the runt anymore, not the little one, the least.”

“But he just let you take the blade?”

“We traded, one prized possession for another.” That caught Solas’ attention, and he carefully closed the book to focus on the young man with distant eyes. 

“...what did you trade?”

“Light in her eyes, in her voice, in everything she does. So much light, too much, so bright- but I never want to look away. Kindness follows her every step, laughter hanging in the air as she runs towards me. So bright, so sweet, _so_ _good._ Water drips from her hands, clings to the stones she carries, droplets on her face from where it splashed up. Each stone reminds her of a different part of me, fascinating little facets that I never see within myself. One is the exact shade of my eyes when I smile; one is as dark and smooth as the pendant I always wear. Another is what she imagines my singing voice would look like. A small gray teardrop-shaped stone with little flecks of sharp silver is what she thinks the taste of my magic is in stone form. On and on she goes, explaining each rock, excited as she shares her treasures with me. I want more. I want everything. The stones are tucked away, precious reminders of a precious woman I can’t have.”

Solas remembers the exact moment Cole was describing. It was one of the first moments Solas realized there was no avoiding his ever-growing attraction to Felicity, though he continued to fight against it. Wherever they went, those stones- and other little treasures Felicity would find for him- would go as well, safely carried in a small pouch in his pack. 

“We would do well not to let Virdi know her greatest work was traded for river stones.” Solas could already see the woman irritatedly snatching back the weapon if she learned of this. Still, Solas can’t deny that he did treasure the stone collection Felicity had gathered for him. 

“She would understand. She keeps little flowers from her other half, pressed and placed safely out of harm’s way. I will find her some crystal grace. She doesn’t have any yet.” Just like that, Cole is gone, Solas left shaking his head as he opens the book again. His eyes scan over the pages, but not a single word is read. His mind drifts lost in memories that come rushing up. 

After realizing that continuing to try and reread the same page wasn’t going to make him focus, Solas puts away his books, crawling into the bedroll with Felicity. The spark of magic continued to grow within her, safely protected both by Felicity’s and Solas’ magic. Felicity often asked him what he was hoping for in regards to the gender, but he honestly didn’t have a preference one way or the other. He was going to have a child; that was more than enough for him. He would love them regardless of their gender. 

When he asked her the same question, Felicity would always answer with she wanted a little baby boy. She went on to explain that it was because if they had any more children, they would have a big brother to look up to. If the relationship between their kids was anything like Felicity’s own relationship with Percy, Solas couldn’t agree more. Though he figured having an older sister would have much the same effect, especially if they took after Felicity. 

The more Solas studied their child’s growing spirit, the more little pieces of their own spirits he could find there, slivers of him or Felicity tucked away in the heart of it. But there were also flickers that were distinctive and all the baby’s own. Where both Solas and Felicity’s spirits were flexible, changeable, adaptive, this little spirit possessed an oddly rigid form, easily holding its own when Felicity’s would unconsciously try and get too close. Instead of blue and green like Solas, or white and gold like Felicity, the baby’s spirit was growing into a deep crimson. The color of a spirit never really meant much in so far as a person’s power level or abilities went. It was just a little strange for a child to have something so different from their parents. Solas quietly wonders if this change was due to the impromptu visit to the Fade. Before this, he hasn't been able to see any sort of color.

Hopefully, there wouldn't be any unforeseen complications from the trip they had to take.

“Go to sleep, silly…” Felicity mumbles as she curls into him, a small smile growing at his quiet laughter.

“I will, vhen’an, I am sorry to wake you.”

“S’fine, I don’t mind, I’ve been sleeping a lot lately. You okay?”

“I am well; I was just thinking about the child.”

“He’s gonna be cute, I just know it. I hope he gets all your freckles” Solas chuckles again, pulling Felicity closer until every possible inch of her that could be pressed against him is. “G’night, honey.”

“Sleep well, Felicity.”

She drifts back off as Solas tries to force himself to do the same. He’s glad that tonight he was having trouble entering the Fade when Panelan pokes his head in a little bit later.

“What is it?”

“Corypheus’ agents have found traces of Mythal’s temple. It won’t be long now before they find the bulk of the remaining structures. We have some who could wake the remaining sentinels to prepare or attempt to move the Well, and it’s matching Eluvian.” Solas sighs. They were supposed to have more time before this happened, but he assumed Corypheus was moving faster now that he knew Felicity had seen all this already play out once before. 

The fact that he knew still bothered Solas; he would look into that once they returned to Skyhold. 

“Eliminate what agents you can. The less Corypheus knows, the better. It should buy us some time, though losing his men will only make Corypheus send more in their wake. I will be explaining who I am once we return, the Nightmare knew, and it was impossible to hide once he spoke of it in front of Acacia and the others.”

“How did she take it?” Panelan still remembers some of the clans in the wilds who’d found out, and their reaction was… intense. There was no listening to any sort of reasoning they could provide. They only attacked and kept coming until they got a rise out of Solas. 

“She did not outright attack me, so better than most, but any trust she had in me is long gone.”

“And everyone else?”

“I do not think they really understood the implications of the Nightmare’s words, though they are taking their lead from Acacia and remain wary of me. As for the rest of the Inner Circle and Advisors, I-” Solas quietly sighs and shakes his head. “I do not know how they will take it. They are Andrasitan, and what I will be sharing with them does not exactly lend itself to their theology.” 

“Da’asha will be there to smooth things over; I don’t think we need to worry too much. You both have proved yourselves invaluable members of this cause. That should count for something.”

“Let us hope. Get our people ready just in case it is not. With any luck, within the next few days, Felicity should be awake and back to normal. The sooner we get back to Skyhold, the sooner we can send out proper Inquisition troops to Mythal’s temple.” He and Panelan talk a little while longer about future plans before he takes his leave and lets Solas drift off to join Felicity in the Fade.


	43. Chapter 43

“I owe everyone some ice cream and time off after marching through this garbage.” Felicity groans as she walks alongside Percy and Panelan. 

“No one is going to say no, Lissy. Can we make requests on ice cream flavors?” Felicity noticed a new closeness the pair had, often catching one staring after the other. Though neither one ever seemed to catch the other before they would look away. The desire to meddle was strong, but after one long look from Solas, she keeps her plans to herself. She was still trying to get Dorian and Bull together, the Qunari already moving in that direction; it was only Dorian’s stubborn streak that kept the pair from becoming an established item.

Felicity would talk with him about it once they stopped again. Hopefully, it would be at Skyhold by then. They only needed to find a tree that matched one she already imbued in magic. 

“I don’t see why not. Anything in particular you want?”

“God, what flavor don’t I want. They don’t really have ice cream here, you know. There is some kind of shaved ice dessert that sometimes makes an appearance in Orlais, but that’s about it. Some chocolate and vanilla are a must, cookie dough, of course. Sherbet and sorbet would be well received, I’d think. And for me, I want some Ben and Jerry’s brownie batter ice cream. You like sweet things, Lyn?”

“Lyn?” Felicity asks with a quickly growing smile as she notices the pleased gleam in Panelan’s eyes.

“Everyone needs a nickname.” Percy just shrugs, and when he turns to wait for an answer from Panelan, he quickly schools his features into a nonchalant mask of casual interest. 

“Alright, Varric, whatever you say. Well, Lyn, it seems Percy will be ordering ice cream special for you. What flavor do you want?”

“As I’ve no frame of reference for this dish, I will have to just try whatever he thinks I’d like best.” Panelan shrugs, turning back to face forward, trying not to give away how jittery he is right now.

“Oh, that’s scary. He’s good at reading people, but he’s terrible at trying to figure out what they like. One time, back home at school, we had a Secret Santa gift exchange, and he gave this poor kid not only his least favorite candy but also one that had peanuts in it. Kyle was so allergic to peanuts; he probably would have died just from smelling it.”

“It was one time-”

“It was not. It was nearly every time you gave a gift. But I won’t embarrass you too much; I just wanted to make sure he had time to prepare for the nightmare you are gonna ask for.”

“I was thinking something with blackberries, nothing out of this world, Lissy.” Percy crosses his arms, his cheeks heating a little as he makes sure not to look at Panelan. 

“I do love blackberries.” Panelan quietly supplies, Felicity grinning again as she watches these two dorks go back and forth between staring at each other and looking anywhere else. 

“Blackberry sundae’s it is then. And it’s going over vanilla. It goes way better with fruit than chocolate-” Felicity stops mid explanation when her eyes catch on something near the horizon. In a heartbeat, she shifts, Baron Floppsie unconcerned when there is suddenly a large hawk on his back. 

It’s insane how much better her eyesight is like this, and before Percy of Panelan can even begin to question the change, she is back to normal, happily cheering.

“There’s a giant oak tree up there! We’re almost home!! Solas!” Felicity jumps from Baron, rushing between other mounts and carts until she sees a familiar hart, her husband sitting atop it trading quips with Varric and Sera, who were riding next to him. “Solas, we’re almost home!” None of the mounts startle as Felicity rushes up and jumps, Solas easily catching her and pulling her onto his lap. 

“Are you up to creating the bridge?”

“Even if I weren’t, I’d do it anyway.” Solas pinches her side, looking none too pleased with her answer, but Felicity just laughs. “I’m kidding! ...well, mostly. I  _ really  _ don’t wanna march through sand anymore.”

“I do not want you risking anything in your current state, vhen’an.” He gives her a meaningful look, his hands settling over her abdomen where just the slightest bump was starting to show. 

“Oh, come off it, Elfy, she’s not that fragile.” Sera rolls her eyes at Solas’ protective nature.

“It is not a matter of if she is fragile or not, it is a matter of if it is safe. Or would you like to tell the rest of the world the Inquisitor was lost to us because her people did not wish to march in the sand?”

“She’s not gonna die, don’t be dramatic! She’d just pass out like before.”

“I was unaware you became an expert in not only the arcane but in healing as well Sera.” She rolls her eyes at Solas’ dry tone and pushes her mount to head over by Blackwall so she could pester him with peaches again. Better that than dealing with overprotective Solas. 

“Better watch out. She’s gonna get you with lizards in your bedroll again.” Felicity snickers, remember that moment fondly. 

“I can think of worse things. Though I am serious, da’len, I do not want you pushing yourself, not after everything that happened in the Fade.”

“I know, I know, don’t worry. I’m not gonna risk anybody’s health here, but I would like to try, at least. The sooner we get everyone back to Skyhold, the better.” Solas sighs, knowing that there was no stopping her if she was set on trying. Instead, he leans forward, curling around her and pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. 

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Solas.” All at once, she relaxes in his grasp with a long sigh. “Your stubbly hair is coming along nicely.”

“It seems no matter what I do I will always be on the receiving end of Sera’s jokes.”

“That’s just her personality. I think it looks great so far.” As if to emphasize that point, she lifts her hands to brush against the pokey stubble Solas is growing out. 

“You are incredibly biased, but thank you.”

“If you want, I could cut my hair off, and we could grow it out together-”

“No.” Her suggestion is quickly shot down, and Felicity giggles when Solas squeezes her a little tighter. “Your hair is too lovely to get rid of.”

“I don’t know. I’ve always kinda wanted to try having super short hair. It could be cute!” Solas grumbles something under his breath in elven. Not only could he not stop her if she truly wanted to cut her hair, but he wouldn’t dream of forbidding her to do something. All he could do was hope her lovely curls were still there coming morning tomorrow.

Felicity enjoys the quiet sounds that come with these long travels, and a few messages are all it takes to adjust the trajectory of their paths towards the large tree she saw in this distance. 

Skyhold was within their grasp, only a few short steps away, and that lifted everyone’s spirits. The closer they got, the louder everyone got, people going back and forth between what they would do first once they get back home. Holding their families close is high on most people’s list, a decent bath a close second, drinks in the tavern, and a solid night’s sleep in their own beds in a tie to finish off the remainder of the day. 

Together with Solas, Felicity makes her way to the front of the group when they finally reach the tree. Solas uses every bit of his spirit to help bolster hers as she reaches for the tree with glowing hands. For a moment, her magic glows brighter than the sun before it vanishes deep into the heart of the tree, racing across Thedas to link with the matching tree in Skyhold. 

There is a twinge in her as the magic reaches out from her, and Solas’ spirit is quick to wrap around her protectively in case something more was to happen, but that’s the only discomfort she feels. It’s gone nearly as quickly as it appeared, and when she opens her eyes, the link is complete.

“Alright, who’s ready to head home-” She’s not even finished when Charter is hurrying through the portal. Felicity doesn’t have a chance to send the spy a message to make sure she made it through safely when others immediately start following her. “Um, guys, I didn’t check-” More file through, and Felicity just shrugs. 

_ “Did you get back alright, Charter? You can reply to this message.” _

_ “I did. And so is everyone else who followed. Thank you again!”  _ Felicity can hear the lighthearted relief in her voice, and it brings a smile to her face.

“Alright, let’s go guys, home is waiting.”

~~~~~

While everyone else is rushing to clean up and see their loved ones, the Inner Circle and Advisors are all heading towards the war room. Felicity doesn’t even get a moment to try and explain anything to Dáithí as she pulls him and Percy along. The door is barely shut a moment before Acacia turns to Solas, staring him dead in the eyes and managing only to look a little bit worried.

“Who are you?” 

It seemed they would waste no time before jumping right into it. Felicity is about to try and smooth things over, try and ease the tension, but Solas’ spirit urges her to let him handle this. With his head held high, the guise of humble apostate vanishes. He squares his shoulders, expression shifting ever so slightly as he observes’ those in the room waiting for an answer. 

“I am Solas, that was never a lie, but I know that is not what you are asking about.” He draws a slow breath, his spirit shifting uneasily within him though it would never show on his face. “In an age long past, I held another name, other titles, some of which have been twisted all these years later. I am Fen’Harel, the Dread Wolf.”

What happens next Felicity never saw coming, and she watches with wide eyes as everything seems to move in slow motion. With the confirmation of the Nightmares words, Acacia lunges forward, an angry, bitter expression twisting her face as a snarl is pulled from her chest. Solas is faster, turning to look at the fast-approaching fist aimed at his jaw, but he doesn’t move a single inch to avoid the attack. His head snaps to the side as her fist connects, though his feet remain firmly planted where they were. 

“How could you do this to the elves?! You locked away our gods! They could have helped us against Tevinter, could have saved us from being destroyed and enslaved!” Once the momentary shock wears off, Felicity moves to place herself between Acacia and Solas, her own anger rising at Acacia’s attack. Still, Solas holds up a hand to stop her. He turns back to Acacia, and the bone-deep depression and guilt she sees there bring her screeching to a halt before she could attack any further.

That didn’t mean the tension was still not stung out across Acacia’s body, ready to snap if pushed. In the few moments those watching this unfold took their eyes from Solas to glance at Acacia, they could help but be concerned. She was not someone who would normally lose her cool like this, certainly not at someone she’d up until now considered her friend. None were well versed in elven anything, but whatever she was accusing him of being- whatever he was admitting to being- had to be something pretty damn important. 

“What I did, I did for The People. The Evanuris were not gods, though that did not stop them from trying to attain the positions through war and bloodshed. It was not Tevinter that saw to the destruction of elves. It had been declining since the moment the Evanuris took up places of power above the people- when they began fighting with each other over land and domains.”

“Lies-”

“Tevinter was not the first to enslave The People. The Evanuris were. Those markings you wear, the Vallaslin the Dalish continue to use, were not shows of reverence and piety. They were slave markings, used to bind elves to the will of the Evanuris. Through the magic they embedded in the very skin of their people, they could control every aspect of a slave’s actions, and should they wish it, they could use the control to punish and even kill the wearer.”

“No, that can’t be...! The Keepers-”

“I sought to set The People free from would-be gods. I broke the chains of any who wished to follow me. But the First Born do not die so easily, so I had to find another way to rid the world of them. I created the Veil, locked away the Fade and the Evanuris with it.”

“He’s telling the truth.” Panelan steps forward, all eyes flickering to him.

“And you know this how?” Leliana asks, sharp eyes watching every move both he and Solas made, waiting for some kind of an attack. 

“I was there with him. I helped however I could to try and free his people, to keep them from having to run from their homes as my people did.” Panelan lets the spell hiding his true form drop, most everyone in the room gasping at the crystalline being before them. “There is not much in your histories that is correct, though it is hardly their fault. Much of what was commonplace in the world was lost when Solas created the Veil. In the chaos that followed, your people had to pick up the pieces and try to place some meaning on it all.”

“What are you?” Acacia asks, looking more than a little overwhelmed at everything that was being revealed to her, but at least she wasn’t throwing any more punches. 

“I am one of the Dun’himelan, an elven race of shapeshifters that walked Thedas along with the Elvhen when the world was young.”

“The Evanuris were greedy. They sought to control everyone and everything. And when they couldn’t control his people, they began a war with them. The Great Wars, battles fought on so large a scale that they changed the very landscape, that oceans ran red with blood, and more lives than could ever be counted were lost. Thedas was not the same after them, and it was changed further when his people left.” For a moment, as Solas explains, both his and Panelan’s eyes drift off, lost in the terrible memories from that time. Panelan had largely grown up as the wars escalated, coming of age only shortly before heading off to free Solas from Andruil.

“Surely there would be records of such a conflict, of another race-”

“This was many thousands of years ago, Lady Ambassador, before humans got a foothold in Thedas. And once the Evanuris declared themselves victorious, they wiped any traces of the Dun’himelan from the map. From there, they created the Elvhen empire, established Arlathan as the capital, and ruled over The People with an iron grip. I was… unable to do much as it spiraled out of control, but once I had returned to my senses, I rose up to fight against their tyranny.”

“The God of Rebellion,” Acacia whispered, eyes going wide. She never understood how some thought of Fen’Harel in such a light when he was so obviously a trickster villain, but if what he was saying was true, then maybe those few clans were closer than they knew about who and what Fen’Harel was.

“I was- _ am _ \- no god, though that is what they tried to claim me as in an attempt to downplay my growing efforts against them. Say it was just in my nature to stir up trouble. They had their domains and duties to perform for The People, my battles against them were simply part of that.”

“So what are you doing here, pretending to be an apostate?” Leliana doesn’t know much of elven culture and their religion, but she knew of Fen’Harel, having questioned one of her scouts about it when they used the name in a curse. 

“I watched from the Fade as The People fell in earnest, as they were killed or enslaved. I woke to a world where most had lost their conscious connection to the Fade. Since then, I have been working to bring back the world of The People, return the Fade to the waking world.” All at once, people are talking, some even moving closer to Solas, and while he looks unaffected by it all, Felicity was none too pleased.

“Enough.” She barks, silence filling the room in answer to her magic. “Let him finish explaining before you all jump to conclusions.”

“The Veil is falling regardless, even before Corypheus started tearing holes in it, it had been falling for hundreds of years. It was never meant to be a permanent structure. It was only supposed to give me and everyone else enough time to find a way to deal with the Evanuris.”

“That’s how you knew the orb he carried was elven.”

“Partly, yes, but it is also my focus, my orb. I originally used it to create the Veil, but doing that took far more out of me than I had intended. I, and the others who helped me create it, fell into Uthenera. It is a state of stasis that can last however long it is needed to repair the damage done, or until an outside force wakes them up.”

“You are planning to do the same thing as Corypheus.” Leliana wastes no time in jumping back into hurling accusations, and Felicity just rolls her eyes.

“At first, yes. This world was not one I saw value in, a world of Tranquil compared to what it had been. The People had suffered enough, and I sought to right my wrongs. But as I lived among those who called this world home, I realized I was wrong once more.”

“But you are still planning on bringing the Veil down.”

“Yes, we must. If we let it crumble, the raw chaos of the Fade bursting through will likely destroy whole sections of the waking world. I have been searching for ways to ease the Veil down, to let this world adjust to the changes as slowly as possible, but there will still be chaos. There is no way to make this a painless transition.”

“You have people in Skyhold?”

“I do, and throughout the rest of the world.”

“You’ve hidden them well.” Leliana begrudgingly admits, curious now as to how many of Fen’Harel’s agents walked their halls.

“I did this for hundreds of years before I was able to lock the Evanuris away, Sister Leliana. To your credit, it has taken a great deal of careful work to get my people here.” A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth at the irritation in her eyes. “Though now that this is out in the open, I would like to talk to you about how Corypheus could have learned of Felicity’s foreknowledge. But that can wait until later.”

“So, ancient elven god, that’s a twist I didn’t see coming. Is that how you knew of Skyhold?” Varric has so many questions, but those can wait for a quiet moment when not everyone is breathing down their necks. 

“It is. This was one of the main bases I used in battles against Elgar’nan’s forces.” Solas continues to answer every question they throw at him, some taking more time than others to explain fully. None of them are particularly thrilled about what’s been revealed, not that Felicity thought they would be. She’s just happy that Acacia isn’t still trying to throw hands. 

The longer they all talk, the more tired Felicity grows, and it isn’t long before she is leaning into him, her eyes drifting shut. Solas supports her as he finishes explaining the concept of the First Born and the differences between them and regular elves. Once he’s finished, he turns to Panelan and nods down at Felicity.

“If you could take her back to the room, it seems she is still not fully recovered.” Both Panelan and Adaar step forward, and once she is carefully picked up, they head out. Once the door is shut, Varric looks at Solas with a tired grin.

“She’s the reason you decided this world wasn’t all terrible, wasn’t it?”

“Not the only reason, but yes.” There was no point in denying it, she changed everything, and Solas didn’t regret it one bit.

“Prove your claims,” Leliana demands the moment the door is shut behind Panelan and Adaar. She’d been hoping that Felicity would grow tired and leave; Leliana didn’t have to worry about her jumping in to defend her husband now. No doubt Solas wouldn’t need it as he was evidently powerful enough to take them all on his own, but Leliana saw the guilt in his eyes. He wouldn’t defend himself, just as he hadn’t when Acacia first stuck him. Now she could question and dig to her heart’s content, though she knew it would take more than one night to get everything she wanted. 

“How can I prove them to you?” Solas sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment before diving in. He knew they would ask for this. There was no way they couldn’t. That didn’t change the fact that there was not much he could genuinely prove himself in any way they, Leliana in particular, would accept. “Do you wish to see the memories of the Fade? You would, of course, accuse me of tampering with them as I so often walk those paths, and there are no other Fade mages here to show you in my stead. I could recite the histories for you, but again, there is no way to corroborate them without taking you all to the Cross Roads for an extensive trip through what remains of the various Elvhen cities lost to time. And even then, you would say I had agents plant the evidence I show you. Any surviving texts the elves might have retained from Elvhenan detailing the politics of the time were destroyed by Tevinter and the Chanty to further oppress The People. I could show you my magic, explain how I created the Veil, how I sealed away the most powerful mages Thedas has ever seen, but most of it would not be understood by any of you. I could walk you through ruins explaining the mysteries behind the ancient magic still lingering there, or explain how we created cities that soared through the skies or even take you to the few remaining untouched Elvhen ruins here in the waking world to search for your desired proof. Unfortunately, we do not have time to be wasting on such academic trips. I understand that I am asking you to take a great deal of this on faith, and I understand the weight of what I am telling you and how this changes much of what you all considered to be historical facts. I am sorry for that, but that does not change the fact that right now, there is not much I can do to prove it other than speak. Ask what questions you have, I will do my best to answer, and for now, that will have to suffice as proof.”

He looks at those gathered silently in the room before him. Leliana looked none too pleased at his response, but she knew he was right. The others had varying expressions ranging from interest to anger to fear. This wasn’t going to be a pleasant meeting for any of them, and Solas imagined if he wasn’t married and bound to Felicity, he would already be tossed into a cell or worse.

Solas would have to remember to thank his lovely vhen’an coming morning for gaining such respect from her friends and coworkers here as that alone was saving him from a great many fights.

~~~~~

“So it’s Panelan, is it?” Having been headed to his own room to sleep after that way too long meeting, Percy spotted Panelan sitting outside Felicity’s door, keeping watch. His head snaps up, green eyes locked on the young man approaching him. The moment people stopped questioning him about his appearance, Panelan had shifted back, not wanting to cause a stir. 

“It is.”

“Hmm… Pan’s cute, or Pan-Pan, or the Pan Man.” Percy grins, trying his best to break the awkward tension. The fact that he wasn’t the same kind of elf or that he was evidently super old was not bothering him in the least. He was still the sweetheart who’d done his best to help him keep his sanity when Felicity vanished into the Fade for days.

“You took all this in stride.”

“I’m from another world where this world is just a series of stories. It’ll take more than this to throw me. Besides, I always knew there was more to Solas than just apostate hobo. He was good at hiding, but sometimes he would slip, show us a glimpse of the man behind the mask.”

“Still, it is a lot to take in.” Percy just shrugs, plopping down onto the bench next to Panelan. 

“Were you the hart Panelan as well?”

“I was. But I couldn’t save da’asha as a hart. I quickly shifted to my Elvhen form and thought up as believable a story as I could.”

“Thank you for saving her.” Percy quietly says, his heart growing heavy at the thought she almost died without him ever knowing she even got here. “And watching over her.”

“It’s hardly something you need to thank me for. She is easy to watch.”

“That’s an absolute lie! I’ve never seen one woman get into so much mischief as her, save for maybe Sera. We are lucky it is mostly harmless mischief.”

“She is too sweet to try most of Sera’s pranks, though the occasional one does pique her interest now and again.”

“...You feeling alright after Adamant?”

“I’m okay, I knew nothing could happen to da’asha with Solas there, but it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders when they all made it out.”

“Can I see what you really look like again?” Percy pauses for a moment before asking. Panelan had only stayed in his regular body for a few moments, and Percy had only gotten a few glimpses as he tried to look around everyone else filing the room. 

“S-sure.” Panelan feels nervous energy filling him up as she lets the spells drop, unable to look Percy in the eyes as the young man carefully studies him. When suddenly his hands are there bushing over his features, Panelan forces himself not to jump away.

“You get any prettier, and we’re gonna have to have a talk.” Percy was already smiling, but it shifted into a smirk a heartbeat later. There was no visible sign that Panlean was blushing, but Percy could feel the smooth crystalline skin under his hands growing warmer by the moment.

“It will be a mutual talking to, then.” His voice was steady, which Panelan wasn’t expecting in the least, and with a hand that was only slightly trembling, he brushed a few of Percy’s curls out of his eyes.

“I’m game if you are.” With one last brush over his impossible smooth skin, Percy stands, quietly sneaking into Felicity’s room to check on her before turning in for some much-needed rest himself. 

Felicity was curled up under a handful of quilts, hugging a pillow to her chest as she softly snores. Percy can’t remember ever being as scared as he was when she and Solas jumped into the rift, not even in the moments before his death on Earth. He’d been a wreck as he fought to keep the demons and Wardens away from the rift, standing guard there for nearly a day straight until they finally finished off the last of the demons. 

He sits on the couch, staring at the low fire still flickering in the stone fireplace as he tries to shove away the dark thoughts and gloomy possibilities his mind all too easily runs away with.

“She feels responsible for it all. She has to make it better for everyone, has to alleviate the guilt for past playthroughs. Cullen can’t have lyrium, must save him from the streets, from Lace. Leliana can’t kill; what happened to Butler? Please don’t let it be too late already. Bianca can’t get to Varric. That bitch needs to leave him alone. He’s suffered enough.” Cole goes on and on, eyes unfocused as he rattles off Felicity’s private to-do list. Percy just shakes his head, his little sister always too good at worrying about stuff she should let others deal with.

“Cole? Are you okay?” Felicity’s sleepy voice interrupts him, her eyes hazy as she tries to look around her dark room for the source of the voice.

“We’re fine. Go back to sleep, Lissy.”

“Percy?” He sighs when she crawls to the edge of her bed and stumbles to her feet. With a quilt wrapped around her shoulders, she shuffles around to the other side of the couch, snagging Cole’s hands before flopping down curled against Percy’s side. Cole goes with the flow, laying on the sofa, half draped over Felicity. “Go to sleep, silly.”

“You first.” He jokes back, snickering when she drifts back off not a minute later. “You don’t have to stay, Cole.”

“It is… nice.”

“Snuggling is always nice.” Percy shifts a little to get more comfortable before letting his eyes drift shut, the weight of Felicity leaning against him a comforting sensation.

Solas comes in a few hours later to see the impromptu cuddle pile, and while he wanted to pull Felicity away to have her all for himself, he leaves her where she is. He moves one of the cushions to the floor in front of the couch and leans back so his head rests pressed against Felicity’s stomach.

Morning comes too soon, Panelan looking a little jealous at the comfy looking pile everyone was curled up into as he carries in a tray laden with food. He sets it down as quietly as he can, but Percy, as light a sleeper as he was, wakes when he hears movement. 

“There’s always room for more.” He whispers, holding up the corner of the blanket covering him. They’d shifted at some point last night, Felicity laying curled up on Solas’ chest on the opposite side of the couch, her legs draped over Cole’s torso and feet tucked under Percy. Cole is slumped against Percy, five of six pillows surrounding the young spirit boy. Percy was curious if he’d gotten them himself or if Felicity had when she woke to move around. 

“I-I shouldn’t-”

“Come on. It’s still too early to work anyway.” Panelan is about to refuse again, but the sight of Percy all soft and sleepy was too tempting to pass up. With his boots off and his coat draped over a chair, he wiggles into the cuddle pile, everyone shifting a little in their sleep to accommodate the newest addition. 

The warmth isn’t stifling as it envelopes Panelan, and since he’d stayed awake all night at his post, it didn’t take long to fall asleep, his head resting on Percy’s shoulder. With a secret little smile, Percy closes his eyes again. He was usually a morning person, but today, he was more than willing to stay here and maybe never move again. It’s another hour before the door opens again, the midwife bustling in with her arms full of books on childbirth Felicity had wanted. She freezes at the sight she’s greeted with, a big smile growing on her face.

“Well, aren’t you all just too cute for words.”


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another... spicy bit in this chapter, guys, fair warning.   
> If you don't wanna read it, you can pretty much skip the second half of the chapter, lol. ^^

“I am afraid I must go speak with the Advisors some more, vhen’an.”

“I’ll come with you-” Felicity groans as she moves too quickly, her entire world spinning uncomfortably as she falls back onto the bed. She’d woken sick to her stomach with a headache already in full swing behind her eyes.

“Stay. Rest. I will be alright, Felicity.”

“I miss you when you’re not here…” Solas’ heart warms at her soft words, but still, he gently pushes her back onto the bed when she tries to sit up again. 

“I will be back before you know it. Once you feel better, you can catch up on some work with Claire. You have said it yourself, your days pass much quicker when you work.”

“You’re just trying to trick me into doing paperwork.” Solas quietly laughs as he leans down to press a kiss to her forehead.

“There is much to do; we have been gone for a few weeks.” Felicity just grumbles, rolling over and burrowing under a pile of pillows and blankets. “I will see you later, my love.”

Solas passes Claire in the halls on his way out, giving the woman a quick update about how Felicity was feeling this morning. The midwife had already talked with them, making sure to tell them this kind of reaction was nothing to be overly concerned about. 

He knew plans were finally being set in motion to begin what Felicity called Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. Orlais was finally ready to attempt peace talks, though they had no more intentions of attaining peace than the Evanuris did with the Dun’himelan. 

It would be weeks, maybe even months before the Inquisition would be making an appearance at the Winter Palace, but it never hurt to be prepared. Solas actively tried not to think about having his very pregnant wife trapped in that viper’s nest with assassins lurking in every shadow. He’d been trying to find an alternative to sending her but was coming up empty-handed. Those pretentious men and women would accept nothing less than the Inquisition’s leader if they were indeed going to play any part in The Game. 

With each step, Solas steels himself for what was going to be another lengthy meeting, and he uses that term so very loosely here. This wouldn’t be a back and forth so much as a cross-examination of Solas. He knew this kind of interrogation would happen eventually when they found out who he truly was, and he knew the fact that he was married to their Inquisitor was the only reason they didn’t try and detain him when he revealed what all he knew.

Leliana had spoken last night of having similar interrogations with Panelan, Thelris, and Virdi. So long as they were not so obvious as to give them away to the rest of Skyhold, Solas didn’t see any problems with this. And if he found out they were in any way tortured, it wasn’t himself that Leliana would need to watch out for. 

There was no way this was going to be a quick process, but Solas hoped they could at least get the basics out of the way in a few days so he could stop reliving the past he wanted nothing to do with. 

He pauses outside the War Room when he can feel several Templars just beyond the heavy wooden door. His face hardens, and in a flash of magic, he disappears. It is child’s play to move through the door, and he doesn’t even need to spare a glance to the armored men as they are quickly turned to stone. Solas turns his eyes to those on the other side of the table, unsurprised to see only Leliana standing there. 

“What is the meaning of this?”

“It is not uncommon to bring in extra protection when dealing with a powerful adversary.”

“If I wanted you dead, Spymaster, you would be,” Solas growls; he disliked playing these types of games where people tested him to see how far he would go. 

The answer was always much farther than they realized. 

With a snap of his fingers, the Templars are released, and before they can reach for their weapons before they can try and silence him, Solas speaks again.

“Leave us.” Power fills his words, and it shakes the whole room as the magic he cultivated in Skyhold resonates back. The Templars immediately turn around and march out, their memories of the past few moments completely wiped by Solas’ magic. He was not a fan of such spells, but he didn’t need those men going around spreading rumors of how Solas turned them to stone and brought them back. 

For a few moments, they just stare at each other, waiting to see what the other will do, see who breaks first.

Leliana eventually hums, stepping towards the table, leaning down to grab a handful of reports. Last night, she had gone through her people with a fine-tooth comb to try and figure out which were hers and which were not. It was not an easy job, and as much as she hates to admit it, she probably missed a few. 

“Cullen believes you.”

“And?”

“As does Josie, though both are still working on coming to terms with all that you’ve spoken of and what that means for their own beliefs.”

“But you do not?”

“If I am honest, I am having trouble wrapping my mind around all of this. From the start, I knew you were not just a wandering apostate, but your skill sets were needed, and you never gave me a reason to doubt your intentions, at least not until you started associating with Felicity when she was hiding who she was. I had a few of my scouts up north look for the small village, but all they found is some ancient ruins.”

“That was one of the first elven villages that were established in my forests. It was not as tame a place as it is now.”

“ _ Your  _ forests? Did you own all of Ferelden?”

“I did not own it, but it was my domain for a great deal of time. All of the First Born each oversaw their own parts of Thedas before Elgar’nan and Mythal established the Elvhen Empire. And even then, most of the time, we all remained apart from each other, too many of us hotheaded and quick to take offense.”

“Things were not so different back then,” Josie says as she enters, having heard the last little bit of the conversation. The same could be said of nobility these days. Having too many in a room was asking for trouble without a skilled negotiator and mediator to keep the peace. Solas shrugs. It truly wasn’t, only the outfits changed. They talk of less heavy things as they wait for Cullen to arrive. 

When he does get there, there is an awkward moment where he freezes, eyes on Solas, unsure of how he is supposed to greet him now or if he should acknowledge his old titles at all. 

“Good morning, Cullen.” Solas, seeing him struggle, starts, grinning as Cullen responds in kind with an awkward nod. “Shall we?” With a steadying breath, Solas motions to the various papers covering the large table. There was much they needed to get through in this meeting, including but by no means limited to finish explaining the gist of his past, further explain why the Veil needed to come down, confirm which of the Inquisitions people were actually his, and make plans to try and integrate his own network with the Inquisitions. 

Felicity will be glad she missed this. There was going to be no small amount of paperwork to complete. 

~~~~~

“All I’m saying is that if you guys expect me to be able to do any of that ‘Game’ shit in Orlais, you are going to be super disappointed. I couldn’t have done it before when I wasn’t incredibly hormonal. I definitely won’t be able to manage it like this.” Felicity mutters as she dries her cheeks. She had just cried for a solid five minutes because she smudged a few letters together as she was trying to formally address and thank the DuCharme family for their contributions while they were in the Western Approach. The Game was not going to be an option for her.

Claire was thinking the same thing, but what else could they do? They would demand the Inquisitor was there if anyone from the Inquisition was going, it would be an affront to all Orlais if she didn’t show. Right now, they were trying to make allies, not more enemies. 

Worse still was that Felicity would not only have to play The Game but play it flawlessly if they were to get anything done in Orlais. Because she was an elf, the bar would be so much higher, and each small misstep would cost her more than it would any other human trying to play. 

“Do we really need to mess with them? We’re doing pretty good here. Maybe we can just send a guarded message to the Empress and one to Morrigan telling her to get her butt here and then just let them sort out that cluster fuck on their own?”

Claire just sighs and hands her another sheet of paper to write on. She’s about to try and explain once again, but Felicity cuts her off.

“No, I’m sorry, I know we can’t just let it go. Just- just ignore me.” Felicity groans as she begins anew on the letter. Claire does feel bad, The Game wasn’t for everyone. Hell, even just everyday politics in general, wasn’t for everyone. 

“Solas will be there with you-”

“If they call him my elven manservant, I will burn that whole building down.”

“Is that what they call him in the game?”

“It is, and I will not stand for it.”

“I imagine they will use a title along the lines of Fade Expert or magical advisor as he is married to you. That will elevate his status in their eyes, even if only just a little.”

“Assholes,” Felicity mutters, a tiny burst of magic flaring to stop a drop of ink from hitting the page. “Any silly dress codes I should be aware of? Do I have to wear a mask? Oh, can we not do those hideous formal suits? If I have to go to a ball, I wanna wear a pretty dress and show all those stuffy nobles up.”

Claire smiles as she listens to Felicity continue to rant as she carefully writes. There was no doubt Felicity had gotten much more emotional since becoming pregnant, but that just came with the territory. Nothing they could do would change that. All Claire could do was try to prepare her for what was to come and be by her side when she was in the thick of it.

“Have you started to think of names yet for the little one?” Claire knew that there were two ways to turn her mood around, and that was Solas and their child. Right on cue, Felicity beams up at her and nods.

“There are some names from back home that I liked, but it feels wrong to give him a name like Liam or Phillip or Webber when he’s gonna be an elf and all. Solas has been helping me find some nice elven names, but none of them have felt like the one, you know? And some of them are just so freaking long I don’t know how they are going to be plausible. We’d just end up using nicknames for them all the time.”

“Still hoping for a boy?”

“Yes, yes, I am. Just picture a little Solas toddling through the halls, questioning everything. How cute would that be?!” Felicity happily squeals as she imagines it again, and in her excitement, she doesn’t notice Claire’s forced smile. She thought one Solas was quite enough. He was nice enough, and he clearly cared for Felicity, but he could be rather… intense from time to time. And that was saying something when coming from Claire, who’d dealt with her fair share of scary nobles. 

“What are you going to do if it’s a little girl?”

“Love her, what else? I’ll be happy, regardless. I just think it would be adorable to have a mini Solas. Apparently, Solas can feel the baby’s magic already. He’s pretty sure they’re gonna be a powerful mage, but that’s not exactly surprising given who the father is.”

“And the mother.” Felicity just shrugs it off, continuing to write the letter with a smile.

“The father’s half is much more impressive, I’d say. Ancient Elvhen God and all that.”

“I still cannot believe half of what he’s spoken of. It’s crazy.” Claire’s eyes zone out for a moment as she recalls all he’d shared. Everything she knew about ancient history- little though it may have been- was thrown on its head. She had wanted to ask about the Maker, but she didn’t have the courage to bring it up, and truth be told, she was a little worried about what answer she would get.

Maybe that was all the answer she needed.

“Yeah, it was a bit of a shock.”

“Only a bit?” Claire says with a startled laugh. That surely had to be the understatement of the age.

“Well, I always knew I forgot something about him; it was actually kind of a relief to finally figure it out.” Felicity’s lighthearted attitude about it all was mind-boggling, but Claire supposed it shouldn’t be. Felicity loved Solas before she knew he was the Dread Wolf, and it was not the flippant, can change on a dime kind of love either. They undoubtedly worked through whatever feelings she had on the subject until they reached a point where it was indeed no big deal to her.

“How does he feel about becoming a father?”

“He’s excited and scared, which, I mean, is completely fair. I am too. It’s a huge responsibility, and add that to everything else we have to do, and it almost seems impossible. Almost. We’ll make it work, one way or another.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can help with.”

“I feel like you’ve got enough on your plate, making sure I do all my normal work.” Felicity laughs as she passes over the finished letter for her to inspect. “But thank you, I will. No spelling errors this time, right?”

“None.” She carefully folds it, stuffing it into a fancy envelope before using some wax to seal it. Once the wax dries, it’s laid onto a stack of other finished letters, nearly fifteen now ready for messengers to take them, but they still had so many to go. “Ready for the next?”

“I was born ready!”

~~~~~

“I lied; I wasn’t born ready. No one is born ready to write this many letters! Please,  _ please  _ tell me we’re done. Have mercy!” Three hours is all it takes for her to break, Felicity on her knees begging a laughing Claire to have mercy on her soul.

“We can be done for today.”

“For today?! What do you mean, for today?! I’ve written more letters today than there are people in this world!”

“You only wrote fifty-three.” Chaire snickers as she gathers up the finished letters.

“The exact number of people in the world, yes. Who else could possibly need snail mail from me? Surely they’d rather have flowery prose from you or Josephine.”

“You would be surprised by the weight your written word carries, Felicity. Should I find Solas and tell him we’re done for the day?” Before Claire even finishes the sentence, Felicity is on her feet and out the door.

“No need, I’ll let him know, bye!” Adaar quickly follows after her as she dashes out of her room and towards the stairs. He’d tried telling her she should be running on the stairs in her condition, but she would only assure him that she would be careful, and if she started to fall or tripped, she’d catch herself with magic. There was no way he could make her stop, so he simply had to take her word for it. 

“Hi Percy, bye Percy!” The young man doesn’t even get a chance to respond before she’s gone, and he just rolls his eyes, once again feeling bad for the two men assigned as her guards. 

Felicity follows her spirit’s direction as she runs, giddy excitement growing as she feels Solas’ spirit getting closer. He must be tired after all the time spent with the Advisors as they question him; no doubt, he was ready to be done as well. Just before she slams the door open to go running into his arms, Solas quietly excuses himself, turning around just in time to watch her rush in and dive at him. 

“Hey!” She chirps as she grins up at him, and Solas tiredly smiles back, even just having her here leeching away some of the tension from him. 

“Hello, vhen’an.”

“Y’all are done now, right? I mean, he’s been here all fucking day.” She peeks around him, her puppy dog eyes directed at Josie, who just sighs.

“We must work on your language, Inquisitor. Orlesian’s will be none too impressed as it currently is.”

“Well, they can eat a dick for all I care, but for you, Josie, I’ll try to be on my best behavior. But that’s all for another day. Can I have him back now?”

“There is much to discuss still…” Cullen trails off as Felicity turns her wide eyes and wobbly lower lip to him. With a defeated sigh, he just shakes his head. “But I suppose it can wait for another day. I have some other work to attend to anyway. Is there anything else we need to discuss right now, Lady Josephine?”

“Nothing that cannot wait.” That’s all the permission Felicity needs, and in a heartbeat, she is pulling him out the door. 

“Work with me, Solas!” Felicity says with a laugh as she continues to pull. “If we run fast enough, we’ll be gone by the time they change their mind.” She expected Solas to chuckle as he always did, but instead, he pulled her into a small alcove. With a shuddering sigh, he holds her close, his face hidden in her wild curls as he fights not to let the memories overwhelm him.

“Just stay like this for a moment.” Emotions best left unacknowledged clog up his throat as he talks, and Felicity’s heart aches as her spirit curls around him, trying to take away the pain she finds.

“We could stay like this forever if you want, and I would have absolutely no problems with it.”

“No, that is not- I just need a moment more.” He holds her a little tighter, Felicity hugging just as tightly in return. Once his breathing evens out, Felicity quietly starts to talk.

“Are you okay?”

“No, I am not. But I will be in time.”

“You don’t have to pretend with me, you know.” Solas hums in acknowledgment, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, noting a familiar scent with a quiet hum. After a few more minutes of cuddling, Solas is pulling back with a small smile on his face.

“You borrowed my soap, I see.”

“Yeah, I did! It smells perfect, all nice and earthy and fresh. It does smell better on you, though.” He shrugs, leaning down again when she tugs on his shoulders, sighing into the sweet kiss.

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“I mean, it’s almost dinner time, so probably just chill for a bit before finding something to eat. Wanna walk around the garden with me? I’m trying to make bookmarks out of some of the pressed flowers, but I’m running low.”

“Lead the way.”

They walk hand in hand to the smaller garden, quietly perusing the various flowers and picking a few that catch her fancy. The other couple of people there mostly leave them to their own devices, only saying the occasional hello or goodbye. Felicity enjoys each and every moment, knowing that peaceful seconds like this will be hard to come by in the not so near future. 

“You want a bookmark too? I was making them for Christmas/ New Years/ whatever the Thedas equivalent is.”

“I can think of a few other things I would like in place of a bookmark.” Out of nowhere, his spirit heats up, pressing against her causing a shudder to race down her spine.

“I-is that so?”

“I spoke with the midwife as well.”

“Verdict?”

“She said there was nothing to worry about unless you were to be in any sort of pain.” Another flare of heat accompanies his words, and she melts against him, her eyes falling shut as he supports her weight.

“Alright, screw dinner, let’s go, buddy. Bye, Adaar.” Solas smirks as Felicity raises her arms, waiting for him to grab her. He quickly picks her up, and Fade Steps towards their room, Panelan wearing a knowing smile as they blur past him in the halls. He’d heard Solas asking the midwife that particular question and assumed it wouldn’t be long before they locked themselves away for a night or two.

They get to the room in record time, and before the door even finishes shutting behind them, Solas has his mouth on her neck, his hands working at removing all the offending garments hiding her from his sight.

“By the stars...” Solas whispers, pushing the dress off her shoulders. His mouth hangs open as he drinks in the sight of her, and Felicity giggles. “Vhen’an,” He breathes, taking her hand to turn her around. His big warm hands stroked down her back, and Felicity sighs. She loves his hands, the feel of his skin against hers, how he always knows how to touch her, and where to touch her.

“You are exquisite. You always are, but this…” Solas’ voice trails off as he encourages her to face him. His eyes say what his words failed to. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her bare before him, hadn’t seen the effects their child growing in her had on her body. It just took his breath away as it always did. Knowing he could hold her again, even in this state, drove him to distraction. 

“Josie gave me a bottle of fancy perfume, but it smells different somehow. She said it was supposed to be the same, but I don’t know, there’s just a little something not the same.” She taps the side of her throat in invitation. Solas’ arm goes around her back, his other hand to her bare abdomen, and his nose to her throat. Goosebumps appear on her skin when he draws his nose up her flesh and breathes deep.

“Mm, you smell delightful…” He moans and nips at the tip of her ear. “Like sweet sin.”

“But it is different, right?” She asks, shuddering under all his attention.

“Deeper, with a spark of heat. Sensual,” Solas sighs. “I never want to move. I just want to stay right here, so every breath is laced with your scent.”

“Solas…” Felicity whimpers when his lips latch to her pulse and suck. She strokes her hand down his arm to his elbow. As he continues to suck kisses into her skin, Felicity can do little more than moan and whimper. Now to be outdone, she smirks and uses one hand to draw her nails lightly up his back. He hisses and sucks a dark mark in the flesh of her breast. It hurt a little, but he soothes the mark with soft kisses, and the discomfort disappears.

Solas nudges the fabric of her bra, sliding the lace over her hard flesh, making Felicity moan when it drags on her nipple. Then his mouth is there, hot and wet and sucking. He teases her with his tongue, drawing it over the bud, swirling around it, scraping his teeth over the nub. A soft moan works its way free of her throat as Solas spreads the lace farther apart, revealing both breasts, the fabric now gently bringing them closer together.

“You are so beautiful, Felicity,” Solas sighs, breathing over her, arousing her further when his saliva cools on her skin. His hands are gentle when they drifted over her, down her ribs, over the growing bump of her abdomen. Fingers dip inside and down to stoke through her curls. “And so wet. I could drown in how wet you are.”

“I seriously doubt that, Solas,” She snickers. A wicked smile twists his lips. 

“What is it you always say, vhen’an? Challenge accepted?” Felicity blinks, uncertain what challenge he was accepting, but when he took her by the hand and led her toward the couch near the fireplace, she clues in. 

“When am I going to be able to seduce you? I never get the chance before you whisk me away.” Felicity sighs as he places her on the couch and begins to draw her dress slowly from the rest of her body. 

“Perhaps someday when I can look at you and not immediately lose all sense and reason, I will let you.”

“And when is that gonna be?” Felicity mumbles with a fake little pout, already pretty sure what the answer would be.

“Never,” Solas smirks, delighted by the shiver he elicits.

“That’s what I thought,” She giggles and sits when he encourages her down. “Thank you for not tearing the dress off.”

“After the scolding I got the last time I ruined an article of clothing, I would not dare risk it again. Though I would like to point out, the shirt was mine to begin with.”

“What’s yours is mine, honey. I thought you would have realized that by now.” Felicity says with a hum. The teasing giggle gets caught in her throat as he settles to his knees and lifts her feet to remove the dress from beneath them. Solas tosses it onto a chair then skims his fingers up her calves. 

“So soft. I can never get enough of your skin. Spread your knees for me, my love.” Felicity does as he asks, shivering when the cool air meets her heated skin. She spreads them wide, unashamed of her wanton display when it was only for him. He could ask anything, request anything, and she would give it willingly. When his hands lift to massage her inner thighs, another shaky moan is pulled from her chest.

“Look, how could I not drown in all this?” Solas asks, his smile dangerous and full of mischief. He sweeps his thumb up her center, gathering her wetness before bringing it to his mouth. “I am going to have my fill, ‘ma fenorian. You are going to sit there and enjoy yourself.”

“As you say, oh mighty Fen’Harel,” Felicity grins smugly, her body clenching tight in anticipation. She’d been aroused since the second he brought this up in the garden. They couldn’t have gotten back to their room fast enough. 

“Such sass,” Solas muttered, kissing her thigh. “Be thankful I do not find some more sensual toys to use with you, vhen’an. I could tease you for an eternity, and it would still never be enough.”

“I thought by now you’d know I like your toys,” Felicity quipped, desperate to have him touch her. She really shouldn’t push the subject, knowing Solas could make good on his word and tease her until time ceased to exist. He enjoyed seeing her fall apart for him, lived to see the ecstasy as she teetered on the edge he drove her to time and again. Felicity had always assumed Bull was the kinkiest one within the Inquisition, but Solas could give him a run for his money as it turned out. Her husband was endlessly curious and equally as creative.

Solas looks up, blinking slowly, and smiles that signature wicked grin that only Felicity ever saw.

“Shall we try something new, vhen’an?” He asks, sliding his hands up and down her thighs, taking a steadying breath as she readily agrees.

“Anything you want,” His eyes burn with desire as he rises up, latching his mouth around her breast and sucking hard. “This isn’t new, Solas.”

“Patience, fenorian,” Solas mutters and flicks his fingers. Ropes of black silk wrap her wrists and draw her arms outward, more wrapping around her legs just below the bend of her knees and stretching her entirely apart until she finds herself nearly immobile, perched on the very edge of the couch.

“Solas!” Felicity gasps, shocked and more than a little turned on. He, in turn, lets out a rumbling growl. Hearing his name like that from her would never not turn him on. 

“Now, be a good girl and let me play. I plan on drowning in you, remember?”

He looks up at her, and she could have sworn the devil was in his eyes. Still, Felicity feels nothing but a thrill racing through her. Solas would never hurt her. So far, she’d loved everything he’d done to her and with her. This, so far, appeared to be no different.

His hands return to her thighs, stroking, rubbing, making them tingle as he makes his way to her apex. She can feel how wet she is, it seems to be soaking into the couch beneath her, but she can’t find it in herself to be embarrassed. Not when Solas looks at her like he can barely breathe with how beautiful she is to him. Not when he presses his mouth to her dripping core like he is a man starved.

“Solas, please!” She shakes with his first firm lick of her lips and gives a whining cry of pleasure when he sucks her clit into his mouth and pulls over and over. Already sensitive, she knows it will take very little to tip her over and groans in disappointment when he releases her and pulls away. 

Time loses its meaning. Days, weeks, years could have passed as she sits there, bound for his pleasure, unable to do much more than whimper and moan and cry out as he drives her to crest, again and again. Though he never quite sends her over, denying her release until a sob breaks from her throat.

“Solas, please! I can’t!” His mouth and chin are shiny with her slick when he lifts his head, his eyes bright with desire as he memorizes every detail of her expression. 

“You have not yet drowned me, Felicity. I fully intend to see you do so before I release you.” Felicity arches her body, tugging on her bonds, trying desperately to get herself where she needs to be. Off of the edge of this damned cliff.

“I need to come, Solas!”

“Oh, you will, my heart. Soon. And it will be so perfect,” Solas smiles and lightly bites her thigh. Felicity lets out a frustrated sob as she continues to strain against the binds.

He returns to playing, licking and sucking on her lips as he nudges her clit with his nose or flicks it with his tongue. Then, a finger slips between her quaking walls, and Felicity moans as he slowly begins to stroke her, coaxing her closer to her orgasm with every gentle thrust.

“Oh, god!” Every muscle in her aches and burns as she remains tensed up on the edge, heat coiled up within her, begging for release. Her clit feels tender, but everything he did was exquisite, so intense she knows he is holding her back for some nefarious reason. A second finger joins the first, and Felicity chokes on another sob.

“Easy, vhen’an,” Solas purrs, “You are so close. A few more moments.”

“I’m gonna die in a few more moments!” He chuckles, and she glares at him, though she only manages to keep her eyes open for a heartbeat before they snap shut again. Felicity moans as he lightly catches her sweet spot and has her seeing stars.

“I highly doubt it.” 

“Le petite mort,” Felicity whimpers. “I’m pretty damn sure the Orlesian call it that for a reason.”

“They certainly do, Felicity,” Solas smiles and licks at her core around his fingers. “But I would never let you perish from the pleasure I give you. Only see you asking-  _ begging-  _ for more. And then maybe begging for me to stop giving you such pleasure.”

“Please! Damn it, Solas!” Felicity shrieks. The pressure in her is so tight, the coil so wound, she feels like she will explode.

“It must be perfect, my love,” Solas whispers and begins to draw his fingers over her sweet spot with more pressure.

“Oh, fuck!” She squeals, arching toward him, the fire sending sweat down her spine to soak the couch beneath her. “Solas, please!”

“So close, darling. A few moments more…” He whispers, adding a third finger, his mouth returning to her clit.

The slow, soft, torturous rhythm suddenly increases, and Felicity strains towards him, a bow pulled taught to its breaking point when he presses his fingers up inside her. There is no stopping it, not this time; he’s taken her to the edge and is finally-  _ finally! _ \- dropping her over. Felicity screams when the orgasm slams through her with the power of a freight train. Her vision whites out, her womb clamping down like a vice and something hot and wet splashes over her thighs.

A warm chuckle resounds in the distance as if the echo came from very far away. She ignores it to float on a sea of bliss. Nothing matters but the hum of pleasure through her body, the continuous ripples in her core, and how her walls flex and pull with aftershocks even now.

“You’re gonna need to give me a minute,” Felicity slurs, somehow managing to lift her arms enough to slide her fingers into his short hair when she realizes she was unbound. His hand at her back flexed as he looked up at her with those heated eyes. 

“Are you back with me, vhen’an?”

“Mm,” She hums, so content at this moment she could happily stay here for eternity.

“So perhaps my cruel refusal to let you come was worth it?” She smiles at his smug grin. 

“...maybe.”

“And I won the challenge. You did nearly drown me.” Solas looks far too pleased with himself. Felicity pushes him back to look down and finds, to her embarrassment, she’d soaked them both.

“Oh! Well, that’s… um...” She can feel her face burning, and though she tries to find something else to say, not a single word leaves her lips.

“It is the most marvelous thing to witness, knowing I am giving you such pleasure,” Solas purrs. A flick of his fingers and a spark of cool magic has them both cleaned up before he sweeps her up and takes her to their bed. The moment they hit the mattress, Felicity shoves at his shoulder and forces him to his back. She moves to straddle his waist and comes down not on soft leather pants but bare skin, the heat of his cock against her core making her sigh.

“And just what are you up to now?” He asks, amusement bright both in his eyes and smile.

“I’m gonna see about treating my husband to the same pleasure he’s given me,” Felicity smiles, skimming her hands down his body. “You’re never gonna let me seduce you and take you to cloud nine first, so I think I’ll just have to take you there now.”

“Have you not figured it out, my heart?” Solas murmurs as he takes her gently by the hips. “You seduce me just by being. Every breath, every smile, ever touch. You enchant me every moment of every day.” He encourages her up, and Felicity takes him in her hand. Both hiss at the initial contact when his girth stretches her tight walls.

“It’s never gonna be enough,” Felicity mumbles as she settles against him, her eyes having fallen shut once again.

“What, vhen’an?”

“You. We could do this all day every day for the rest of our lives, and I’m still gonna want more. Always.” His eyes soften at her honest words. She always knew exactly what to say to undo him. He wondered, not for the first time if it was conscious on her part. 

“Vhen’an,” Solas moans as he shifts a little under her. “You know I feel the same.” His hands grip her waist, and he encourages her to move.

Felicity rolls her hips, letting out a strangled sigh as pleasure begins to ripple in her abdomen. Growing and burning with each passing second. She loves the way he feels inside her. The way the ridge of his cock dragged over each and every spot of pleasure. She loves the way his hands felt when they moved over her skin.

Felicity takes them on a slow ride, one of intense feeling and gentleness. One in which his hands can take their fill of her skin, squeeze her breasts and tug her tender nipples gently, rub circles on her hips, and grip her bottom. Leaning back on her hands, Felicity let him move her hips, pull her forward and back on him and take them higher.

Her love for him grows with each tightening of the coil in her belly until she is gasping, arching, straining toward the release she is desperate for again. Felicity’s head falls back as she starts once again to get lost in the hazy pleasure growing ever stronger.

“Felicity, draw on your spirit, focus on your center, and pull it to the surface.”

Uncertain why he was asking, she opens her eyes and looks down at him only to find the blue of his magic curling up her thighs. It takes her a moment to move past the pleasure to find the magic living in her. Then she lets it rise and swirl around in the air.

“Take my hands.”

She continues to move even as she lifts her hands from his thighs to link their fingers together. That first touch, the first spark, her magic mixing with his outside of their bodies like this, has Felicity moaning. She’s never felt anything like it before. It was as if the deepest, most inner part of her soul is touching his, caressing his, mixing and blending even further than they usually are. 

Solas gasps, his hands clenching reflexively against hers. Felicity finds a shimmer of white gold in the blue-green and grins at seeing a piece of her inside him when she looks into his eyes. The coil in her belly grows tighter, as do her walls. Her rhythm grows sloppy even as she braces against Solas’s hands.

“Solas,” Felicity moans, knowing she isn’t going to last, not with so many sensations rushing through her already sensitive body.

“I know, vhen’an, I know,” Solas moans, releasing her fingers to take her by the waist and help her keep going.

She can feel him swell and grow, stretch her impossibly tight, until the flood of pleasure can’t be held back and bursts in her belly, streaked out through her limbs, and she screams out in bliss. Joy fills her heart, love following suit, and when Solas follows moments later, Felicity shudders as not only did the heat of his seed warm her insides but so did the bliss he feels. That was always the best part, feeling the pleasure she gave him, the pleasure he took from her through the bond.

They remain close together, tangled on the bed as they both come down from their blissful highs. They would no doubt start the whole thing all over again, but the quiet intimacy of holding each other after was just as enticing to them as the act of getting there. 

Neither was in a hurry to move on quite yet.


	45. Chapter 45

It’s two months before Josephine is able to wheedle the dates and times for the actual peace talks out of the Grand Duke, calling in every favor she has to make it happen. It was not going to be taking place during the ball much to Felicity's surprise, though it made sense. She always thought it was weird that they did it in the middle of a party. Evidently, it looked like, though Gaspard was hoping for their support when it came to who they backed as the rightful leader, he didn’t want them appearing too good in the eyes of the people. The plan was to invite them but have them come a day or two late so they would have to grovel to get into everyone’s good graces. 

There was no way Josie was going to let that happen.

Why anyone ever tried to pull the wool over her eyes, Felicity didn’t know. She was convinced no one was better at The Game than Josie, especially when she was paired with Leliana’s vast network of spies and informants. 

Any thought they had of hiding Felicity’s pregnancy was tossed out the window weeks ago. She was very clearly pregnant, and nothing short of a box was going to hide that from people. The more preparations that were set up, the more Solas didn’t want Felicity in Orlais. 

When Felicity loses her shit at the Orlesian tutor who was brought in to instruct her on playing The Game and behaving for the tenth time, they have yet another urgent meeting in the War Room. 

“You can’t just call people rabbits!” Felicity yells, glaring up at the masked man, who looks far too pretentious given the current situation. “We’re not some fucking prey for you to hunt, we’re not small and weak and frail!”

“Inquisitor, please, take a deep breath-”

“Josie, he’s not just acting or pretending; you can see it in his smug eyes, he enjoys putting elves down!” 

“You cannot let him get to you like this, Inquisitor. As much as we hate it, Orlais is not accepting of elves. We cannot have you screaming at each one who makes a comment about it or throws out racial slurs.”

“I will not just roll over and take it! I can’t just stand by and watch them tear down other elves just to make themselves feel superior. And I’m sick of trying! Orlais can-” Before Felicity can shout at the Orlesian precisely what she thinks should happen to his homeland, Solas is there pulling her into a hug. 

“Shh, vhen’an, he is not worth the effort.” Effortlessly his spirit washes over hers, soothing the angry edges and seeping away the tension from her body.

“Such a display as this will also not be permitted-”

“Leave us.” Solas barks, icy eyes falling to the masked Orlesian, who jumps a little at the loud tone. He opens his mouth to say something in return, but Josie waves him off, seeing him out of the room as Cullen comes walking in. 

“I am still in the firm belief we go there, warn the Empress, and take our leave. Let them fight amongst themselves.” Cullen shrugs. He was one of the few who felt sympathy towards Felicity and her plight when it came to these preparations. 

“For the last time, we cannot leave it at that. Orlais is the most powerful nation right now; if we got them to back the Inquisition, if we gained even a fraction of their power and resources, the Inquisition would be a force to be reckoned with. Even against Corypheus and all his minions.” Josie rubs her temples, eyes shut as she heaves a long sigh. 

“And besides, how can we hope to change anything if we ignore the source of a great deal of the racism against the elves?” Leliana’s tone is cool, her hard eyes locked on Felicity, who is still working on calming down in Solas’ arms. 

“But that change won’t happen if we don’t first play The Game. Inquisitor, I will try and have another instructor-”

“I have a better idea.” Claire comes into the room with Panelan and Dagna behind her. “It’s been painfully evident that you wouldn’t be cut out for this, and given your current pregnant state, I know I am not the only one who doesn’t want you there surrounded by assassins and snakes. I’ve been working with both Panelan and Dagna on this matter, and we’ve come up with a solution. If you please.” She holds out a hand to Dagna, who, once Panelan’s magic surrounds the bracelet she holds, quickly passes it to Claire.

When the clasps of the bracelet connect around her wrist, a quick flash of magic washes over her, and suddenly, it’s not the face of Claire they are looking at, it’s Felicity.

“We haven’t perfected it, but it’s to the point of being plausible enough that I think it could work. We didn’t want to suggest this until we were sure it was possible, not wanting to get your hopes up for nothing.”

“You’re gonna go as me…?” Felicity whispers, tears now quickly filling her eyes.

“I would be going regardless. This way, you can stay here- safe- and we can play their games until we have what we want.”

“The enchantments still need some work, I haven’t figured out how to make it so the facial expressions match the same one Claire has, but we figured you guys would be able to help now.” 

“Thank you!” Felicity sobs as she pulls all three individuals into a hug, Dagna and Claire chuckling, Panelan quietly shushing her, smiling to Solas.

“Claire came to me with the idea a few weeks ago, remembering how I shifted how I looked without taking on an animal form. Now that we know it’s possible to imbue something with this magic, it should be an easier process with your help. This kind of shifting was always more your area of expertise than mine. Add that to da'asha's ability to send messages, it will be easy to get her opinion on any major decisions we will have to make.”

“We could even see about getting our hands on some sending stones, or even making our own! I’ve always wanted to try and make some! Your brother told me of devices you had that would let you talk across the world in mere moments. The things he talks about sometimes seem so impossible… I want to create them all here!” Dagna giggles, nearly vibrating with excitement. 

“As long as I don’t have to go, I-” Felicity suddenly stops talking, her eyes going wide and hands falling to her belly. Everyone in the room immediately thinks the worst, Panelan moving to run for the midwife, but stops when Felicity glows brighter than he’s ever seen before. “I felt the baby! I felt him move! Solas!!”

She doesn’t even have time to turn around and face him before he’s there in front of her, his hands taking up the place hers had been, eyes locked on her belly. When he feels the same thing she did, tears fill his eyes unbidden, quickly falling not that he cared a whit. 

“You feel him too, right?!”

“I do...” Before anyone can say anything else, Solas has Felicity in his arms as he races them back to their room. Everyone watching is left with nothing but frigid air where the pair had been.

“I’m not sure he should be whisking her around like that in her state,” Cullen mutters, turning his attention back to the large map covered table. “This will change a great deal.”

“Indeed, but I honestly think it is for the best. We get to grow in our dealing with Orlais, and if we play The Game correctly, those in power will be beholden to us. And Felicity will get some downtime here in Skyhold. We will be gone at least a month, if not more. She wouldn’t want to give birth so far away from home anyways.”

“Indeed, that’s what I was thinking as well. This way, both she and the child are undoubtedly safe.” Claire steps up to the table after she hands the bracelet back to Dagna.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this? They will come for you just as they would the real Inquisitor.”

“I am not defenseless, Sister Leliana. I can hold my own. Besides, I imagine I’d have a few guards with me at all times just like she does here.”

“I’ll see about finding two who look similar enough to pass for Adaar and Panelan,” Cullen says as he writes himself a little reminder note. There are already a few people that come to mind, and he would look into it later once he had a spare moment. “We’ve gotten more reports about Red Lyrium coming across the border from Orlais; I hope these talks go well so we can get to work in earnest over there. The sooner we find Samson’s source in Emprise du Lion, the better.”

They continue to discuss future plans for Orlais, Panelan, and Dagna, taking their leave shortly after the talks began in earnest. The former was going to see what became of Solas and Felicity, the latter off to try and see what she can scrape together about sending stones. 

~~~~~

The next day Josie and Claire begin planning with Felicity what they are going to do, the young elven mage doing her best to try and remember each little bit of Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts so they could be prepared. Now that she didn’t have to go to Orlais and deal with all that bullshit, it was like she was a whole new person. Her bright, happy attitude is back, and her glow seems to be there all the time.

It was such a weight lifted off her shoulders, Felicity really didn’t think they understood, but she was grateful all the same.

“Thank you again!” Felicity quickly skips from the room, rushing through the main keep back to Solas rotunda. She freezes at the door, eyes resting on where Solas is standing on the scaffolding, paint and brush in hand. He’d taken off his typical sweater, the neatly folded shirt sitting on the small couch, just waiting for her to steal. The crisscrossing bands of leather he always wears under his clothes keep the rest of him from view, only his arms bare as he works. All his attention is on the half-painted wall, his hands moving with a surety as he brings the vision of the mural in his mind into reality. 

“‘Ma vhen’an, I will run out of shirts if you keep stealing them all.” Felicity freezes halfway through pulling the shirt over her head, eyes snapping to where Solas is still standing with his back to her, adding golden yellow highlights to the mural.

“I’ll just buy you some more.”

“So you can steal those too?”

“Yes!” Solas turns around at her giggles, taking a moment to study her with warm eyes as she finishes pulling the sweater over her head, Felicity taking a moment to pull her curly hair out as well. She was beautiful, his vhen’an, soft and light and warm despite this world’s best effort to break her. Her golden eyes, always curious, always begging for more, swing to him, only to fall shut as she beams up at him. Solas’ heart clenches tight in his chest, the breath momentarily knocked out of him at the thought that such a glorious creature loved him and that she gave him a chance to love her as well. “Need any help?”

“If you could pass some more paint up, I am going to start filling in the wolves.” He quickly hops down from the scaffolding to let that section dry, moving back to the second section of the murals and sitting on a stepladder. Felicity carefully passes up the appropriate shades when he asks for them, watching as the wolves come to life as he fills them in. 

“Any plans for all this time you will have off? I imagine you will have to remain somewhat hidden away from the public eye here so as not to give away Claire’s disguise.” Solas quietly asks as his magic makes sure no one beyond Felicity heard the words.

“Nope. So long as you are here with me, it matters little what I do.” Felicity smiles up at him again, meaning every word, and Solas can’t help but blush a bit at her poetic words. 

“You are too lovely for words, ‘ma da’lath’in.”

“Oh, stop it with that sweet talk!” Felicity blushes brighter than Solas, her eyes flickering down to her fidgeting fingers. Just beyond them, sitting on the floor near the foot of the ladder is a jar of the deep red paint, and soon her embarrassment is forgotten as a smile starts to grow. 

It’s a familiar shade of red, used in several different places in his murals, but that’s not what she’s thinking of when she crouches down and opens the jar. Carefully she put a coat on her palm and fingers of her right hand, leaving the thumb bare and turning back to where Solas is sitting with his back to her. With her free hand, she scrapes off some of the paint on her palm so that when she presses it against him, there should hopefully be some sort of a face in the mess of red. 

His hair had grown out nicely, Solas keeping it short around the back and sides, a little longer on top. There was just a little bit of wave to it, and Felicity absolutely adored it. He was pale enough, Felicity thought that this would work if she did it on his cheek, it would have been better if he was still bald, but this would have to do. 

“Felicity, you have gone awfully quiet-” Solas cuts himself off, freezing when he feels her hand on his cheek. And not just her hand, oh no, but the telltale squish of wet paint being pressed against him as well. Felicity quickly pulls back her hand, a smile splitting her face as it is an excellent likeness to Hollywood’s favorite volleyball.

“ _Wilson!_ ” Felicity cries, startling Solas, but soon she plops onto the floor in a fit of laughter. Every time she manages to pry open her eyes and sees the side of Solas’ face, another wave of giggles and titters takes over. Tears stream down her face, her sides aching, Solas turning around to see Felicity an absolute mess behind him, though he can’t imagine why. Just what did she paint on him? It merely felt like a blob. 

“Da’len…” His voice was stern as he stares at Felicity, still dying of laughter on the floor, not that he can keep a straight face when she is so deliriously happy. Solas crouches down near her, dipping his thumb in some bright yellow paint, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

It takes Felicity several minutes to stop laughing to the point where she can sit up, though by then, she’s gotten quite the crowd peeking into the rotunda. Scouts from the uppermost level look down curiously, Dorian and several other mages charged with tending to the libraries look down from the middle level, the Tevinter mage wearing an indulgent smile as he watches Felicity laugh. After what happened at Adamant and now with the pressure from Orlais, he wasn’t sure she’d be able to bounce back. Dorian was thrilled to be proven wrong, at least this one time. Varric stands near the other door, leaning against the wall with arms crossed across his chest, chuckling despite not knowing what was so funny to their little Firecracker. 

“Fuck me, Solas, I’m sorry, but that was… shit, that was the funniest things I’ve ever done!” Even as Felicity apologizes, she is snickering, but then she gasps, eyes going wide when she feels wet paint smudged over her cheeks and nose. 

“Yes, you do seem quite sorry, ‘ma vhen’an. So _very_ contrite while you continue to snicker.”

“No, stop!” Felicity half yells, half laughs, trying to back away as more paint appears on his fingers and is quickly transferred to her face. Solas’ freehand tangled in her curls, cupping the back of her head to keep her from running away as he finishes his work on the squirming woman who started this impromptu art session. 

“It’s just a taste of your own medicine, fenorian. I think it is only fair after the laughter at my expense.”

“I only got a little on your cheek! Just one color- _eww!_ Stop, stop, stop. Solas! It got in my mouth!!” Felicity pouts up at Solas, who can’t help but chuckle. Here is a woman who can create separate little planes of existence, who can call lightning from the sky, and send messages over great distances, now with a face covered in splotches of brightly colored paint, pouting up at him with puppy dog eyes in hopes to garner sympathy. Solas makes a soft cooing sound, leaning closer, Felicity finally stilling in her efforts to get away, leaning towards him as well.

“‘Ma vhen’an,” he murmurs low in her ear, a wicked smirk growing when he feels her shudder against him. “Perhaps next time, you should not start something you cannot finish.” Felicity freezes, Solas pulling back, same wicked smile in place, as he adds one final color of paint to her face, several dots of deep blue across her forehead.

“Solas!” Felicity cries, clutching her chest dramatically as she falls back onto the floor. “Betrayed by the one closest to me! Goodbye, cruel world...!!” She writhes on the floor, Solas watching as smug as could be, her dramatics only serving to further smudge the colors, her wild curls getting caught in the mess as well. “Plot twist, you’ll not be rid of me that easily!” 

Solas doesn’t have time to react when Felicity suddenly sits up, gripping his shoulders and pulling him down to her level. With what can only be described as a cackle, she rubs her paint covered cheeks against both of his, the colors smearing perfectly. 

“Ha! You look ridiculous!” Felicity glows bright, so perfectly happy as she laughs with Solas on the floor of the rotunda, both covered in paint.

“Yes, and you look oh so regal, Felicity.”

“I always look good.”

“That is very true, vhen’an.” Even under all the paint, he can see the blush staining her pale cheeks.

“S-sweet talker.” Felicity mumbles, though her smile only grows, breaking off into a fit of giggles when they both hear a loud sigh from their resident Tevinter mage. “Something the matter, lovely Dorian?”

“Oh no, nothing, my darling, nothing at all. I am only observing the sickeningly sweet relationship between you and the hobo. What is it that made you settle for our… humble elven mage?”

“Shut up, Dorian. Just because he doesn’t sparkle with every step he takes like some people doesn’t make him any less deserving of love and happiness. Besides, his clothes are so much more comfortable than yours.”

“You would know?”

“Yes, I stole one of your fancy Tevinter shirts, and it was a nightmare to get into. My chest was almost sliding out the side-”

“Stop, stop, stop! I do _not_ need to know that!!” Felicity laughs harder when she looks up to see Dorian torn between staying by the railing watching and hiding in his little alcove, a blush of his own staining his cheeks. 

“One day, lovely Dorian, you too shall find a love as pure and delightful as ours.”

“I do not know if pure is the right word, ‘ma vhen’an, you were hardly innocent when-”

“Solas!” Both Felicity and Dorian stop him, the smirking elf not at all repentant, even going so far as to wink at her. Her whole body flushes, her throat going dry as she tries to think just what has gotten into Solas. He’s never hidden any of his affections for her when they were in public, but never had he been quite this open. Solas lets his head fall back at her stunned expression, a deep laugh bubbling up and filling the rotunda with its warm sound. Felicity damn near melts on the floor at the sound, at seeing such genuine happiness on his face. 

“My, my, just what are you children up to?” 

And just like that, the warmth is gone from the room, the mood ruined as quickly as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over Felicity’s shoulder. There, looking down at Felicity and Solas like they were nothing more than disgusting bugs to be squashed underneath her foot, stands Madame de Fer. Vivienne’s steely eyes take in their messy state and immediately deem them childish, unnecessary, and wasteful. In an instant, Felicity’s smile shatters, falling from her face and leaving an expression of shame and discomfort in its place. 

“Whatever it is we are ‘up to’ as you put it, is no concern of yours, Enchanter Vivienne,” Solas says on a long sigh, rolling his eyes to Felicity for good measure, trying- in vain- to bring back her smile. 

“As your childish antics are disrupting my afternoon, it is most certainly my concern. And just what are you wearing, Felicity, my dear?” Vivienne’s nose wrinkles up when she sees the young woman in one of Solas’ sweaters, the soft material stretched over her baby bump. It was not the first time she’d wandered Skyhold wearing one, and each time Vivienne has voiced her displeasure at her attire. She was supposed to represent the Inquisition; she should be required to dress and act appropriately.

“You- it’s comfy! A-and I can wear what I want!”

“Speak clearly.” Vivienne snaps, and Felicity frowns, glaring up at Viv, painted face and all.

“Fuck. Off.” She snarls, flipping her middle fingers up in the process for good measure. “Clear enough for you?”

“Now, now, everyone calm down-”

“She’s being a bitch, Varric! We didn’t do shit to her, and she comes in here, ruining a perfectly lovely afternoon up on her high horse-”

“You just gotta learn to let these things go, Firecracker, let the words roll off your back. Don’t let them get to you.”

“Take his advice, Felicity, as evidently you won’t take mine. You let your emotions control you. If you aren’t careful, they’ll be your downfall. And stop wearing our unwashed apostate hobo’s clothes; it is hardly appropriate for a lady. And Solas, my dear? If you could stop wearing that dreadful wolf pendant and those rags. Some of the visitors are beginning to wonder if we married the Inquisitor off to a savage.” Vivienne turns on her heels, not bothering to wait for a reply, content to merely have quieted them down.

“Eat a dick, Viv!” Felicity shouts at her retreating form, earning a snort and a laugh from a great many of the people watching as her voice echoes out from the rotunda. “Bitch.” Felicity grumbles, letting Solas pull her closer to clean up their faces. 

“Ignore her, vhen’an, she is not worth the effort.”

“Why does she have to go sticking her nose into this? It’d be so much easier just to move on and ignore us like we ignore her. You don’t see me searching her out to ruin her day.” Felicity continues to grumble as Solas tries to calm her down, though he too was angry at Vivienne ruining the happy mood his wife had been in. 

Vivienne had been one of the few people who hadn’t changed how she acted towards Solas, not that he had expected she would. Solas had assumed they would perhaps at least stop calling him an unwashed apostate hobo, but it seemed that was going to follow him to the grave.

~~~~~

Felicity and Solas sit in one of the smaller rooms reminiscent of a conference room. On the other side of the table are a handful of representatives from the few ancient elves that yet remained, having survived in Uthenera much like Solas and the others had. They were reaching an accord for what would need to be done in the days to come against Corypheus and how Solas would restore The People. 

It takes a few hours before Solas’ agents are once again escorting them from Skyhold through a network of secret passages, most of them having reached an agreement. They would offer what aid they could, but ultimately, they wished to remain isolated. They did not see the elves of today as kinsmen, and vice versa. The elves of today- though they looked up to the ancient Elvhen- felt no closer with them than they did humans, dwarves, or Qunari.

Eventually, only Nellas remains seated there, talking with Solas quickly and quietly in Elvhen. They must have known each other, she thought, as both are much more relaxed than she had felt they should be. He seemed nice enough, the sprawling branches of Mythal painted in deep green under his eyes. 

Though she knows she could probably use magic to understand them, Felicity is content to simply listen to the sound of the foreign language, picking up an occasional word and phrase here and there. Solas had given her his hand to hold, Felicity preoccupied with tracing over the patterns and edges of the armored gloves. As much as she loved laid back Solas in his sweaters and footwraps, seeing him decked out in such armor was… it did things to her that she is trying very hard not to think about. Though if the smug flickers of his spirit against hers is anything to go by, he already knows. It was funny because even decked out in all this armor and robes, he looked more approachable. He looked more like… him, which she thought was odd as she’d only ever known him as the bald apostate before this. 

“You are very distracting, vhen’an.” Felicity’s eyes jump to his when she hears English or Common, she supposes. Solas is smirking, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes, Nellas also looking at her, though she can’t quite figure out what his expression means. 

“I’m not doing anything!” She declares, her smile growing as Solas moves so his fingers are tangled with hers. 

“You are staring.”

“I’m not even allowed to look anymore? But I do so enjoy it, ‘ma’lath.” Solas snorts when she leans closer, peeking up at him as she dips her chin, lips forming a pretty little pout. Her innocent act gets the reaction she was hoping for, a mischievous glint sparking in her eyes when she feels him tense, sucking in a quick breath—desire flares in his spirit, reaching for hers, desperate for more. The plan immediately backfires when Solas notices her mischievous ways, though even that excites him. Solas, never one to sit back and be teased without giving as good as he got, tightens his grip on her hand, a dangerous smirk much too predatory sliding into place as he pushes a little more magic through the bond.

In an instant, she feels desire and lust burning through her veins like fire. Her face is bright red, from the tips of her ears all the way down her neck, a shaky moan filling the air quite unbidden.

“I, too, like to look, ‘ma fenorian. I wonder just how far down that delightful blush goes.”

“Okay, okay, you win! S-stop it, there are people here!!” Felicity stands to run and hide behind the curtains by the window, but Solas doesn’t let go of her hand. With a quick tug, he has her falling into his lap, quick to wrap his arms tight around her and keep her in place even as she squirmed. “What’s he gonna think?!”

“That you are a delight.”

“H-hardly! Solas, you- oh my god!” She whimpers when he shifts his hips up, grinding into her. The urge to push back against him is almost overwhelming, but still, she feels the weight of Nellas’ gaze on them. His cheeks are alight, eyes a little panicked as if he’s not sure whether he should be looking or just run for the hills. Felicity musters together enough magic and lets it loose, misty stepping her way out of his grasp and on the other side of the room. 

Solas lets out a low chuckle, tsk-ing quietly in dismay at the loss of her, Nellas staring with wide eyes, jumping back and forth from Solas to Felicity and back. 

“You big,” Felicity pauses, trying to think of an insult, but her mind is still short-circuiting from his little trick. “Idiot.” She finishes lamely, quickly ducking behind the curtains and covering her burning face with shaky hands. Try as she might to block out the sound of his laughter, it proves all to be in vain as the warm sound elicits a wave of shivers throughout her body.

“What was that spell?” Nellas speaks up finally, over Solas’ chuckling, and after a heartbeat of consideration, Felicity answers him.

“Misty step, a D&D spell. Useful to avoid tricky situations!” She says a little louder, directing it very clearly at the still amused elf bonded to her, peeking out from behind the curtains to look at Nellas. “I use a lot of D&D spells, they’ve got a lot of useful stuff.”

“Dee and dee?” His head tips just a little to the side as he questions her, and Felicity only barely holds in the adoring sound she is tempted to make in the face of the man’s unintentional cuteness.

“D&D, short for Dungeons and Dragons. It's a game where I’m from. You make up characters and walk them through a make-believe world. You use dice to see what happens, how effectively you function in the world, and so on. I’ve almost got everything set up with Percy. If you stop by again later, maybe you can play too!” Just like that, her embarrassment vanishes as she flits back to the table, leaning forward to talk to an enchanted Nellas. Solas watches with a soft smile as Felicity glows, her hands fluttering around as she tries to explain everything as quickly as she can. 

Nellas hadn’t been the only one taken in by his vhenan, and more than one of the visitors had voiced their surprise upon meeting her. They remembered Solas as the angry, rebellious leader determined to end the Evanuris and free The People. That was the only side they ever really saw, so see this calmer, more serious side came as a surprise, but not nearly as much of a surprise as it was to see him wrapped around the finger of this tiny, glowing woman.

He zones out as Felicity gets into the details of creating a D&D character, his mind wanders to the uncertain future. There was still so much he hadn’t worked out, and they were quickly coming up to the point where he would need to have these plans in place. 

The downtime they now get from skipping out on a trip to Orlais with the others will be a huge help, Solas just hopes it'll be enough.


	46. Chapter 46

Claire, disguised as Felicity, had finally left for Orlais with the Advisors and the Inner Circle last night. Felicity and Solas would remain locked away in their quarters until they returned, though there were many ways they could sneak out if they needed to. Just how long they were going to be gone for was anyone’s guess. The actual peace talks themselves would go one for several days, maybe a week at most. Still, it was the preparations beforehand and dealing with the fallout of what happened afterward that would take up most of the time there as well as schmoozing with all the nobles at the Winter Palace.

Dagna had worked her wonders, creating two sets of sending stones. One would be with Claire at all times. The other to be passed around between the Advisors or and Acacia should they need it. Felicity would be keeping both on her person at all times to answer any questions. Solas had added his own little twist on the one Claire would have so she could speak telepathically with Felicity and not have to out herself as she whispered to a random stone she carried. 

With Solas’ help, they were also able to create a more stable version of Felicity, who could mimic every facial expression Claire had. Look-alikes for Panelan and Adaar were also outfitted and joined the group. They were, of course, informed of the deception they would be a part of, neither one having any issues with it. In fact, both were flattered that they were chosen for such a mission. 

When Felicity was introduced to them, she had to laugh. Their personalities seemed to be flip-flopped from the men they would portray. Felrian, who would be Panelan for the foreseeable future, was a serious, quiet man, though he had a sharp tongue and would take no shit from anyone. Jarit, yet another massive Qunari, was as excitable as a puppy, though he could manage the silence, menacing aura when he needed to. 

She was sitting on the couch with Solas, who was flipping through pages and pages of reports from his agents. Corypheus continued to get closer and closer to Mythal’s temple, though the untamed nature around it kept them at bay most of the time, Solas’ own agents picking off those that remained. Still, they would have to act soon if they were going to intervene. 

When all of a sudden there is a knock on the balcony window, Felicity startles. Solas’ head snaps up, magic already surrounding the pair, ready to defend, but it dissipates a moment later. The cloaked figure wears a mask covering the bottom half of their face, only their eyes visible from under the hood. 

A flicker of magic from Solas opens the latch, the glass door swinging open and the agent hurrying into the room. He kneels on the ground in front of Solas, though he is quick to tell the agent to stand. Solas never liked people bowing to him like that, not back in Arlathan and certainly not now. 

“I’m sorry to bother you, ser, but we’ve gotten word from those across the sea.”

“The Dun’himelan?”

“Presumably. We have yet to speak face to face with them. They have only left a few cryptic messages.” Solas sighs, setting aside his reports to rub his temples. “Most of which warn about trying to find them.”

“They’re still chilling out across the sea?” Felicity asks, having assumed they would continue to move farther and farther away from the Evanuris. But then again, maybe when the Veil was created, they knew the Evanuris couldn’t get to them anymore.

“Yes, I believe they are.”

“Still stuck on that theory about my magic, huh?” Felicity grins, knowing how much it irked Solas not to know everything when it came to her spirit and how she got here. She had no such qualms. She was here, happy and healthy; what did it matter how she came to be this way?

“There are too many similarities for it to simply be a coincidence. Mythal is not as powerful as she was. If she did draw your spirit through from another world, it likely took much of her remaining power to make you a body. Why a First Born Elvhen body if she was making your spirit Dun’himelan? They would be at odds- they  _ are  _ at odds- and such mistakes are not typical for her. Your spirit must then have been Dun’himelan from the start, but how?” Solas continues to frustratedly rant, trying to work through it out loud once more, but ultimately he gets nowhere.

“You want me just to ask? I could try sending a message, I’ve seen several of them in the memories you’ve shown me. We’ve got nothing but time now anyways.” Felicity shrugs, willing to try anything if it gives Solas an ounce of peace. He was so stressed these days, trying to plan for everything. If she could take at least this from his shoulders, she would consider it a very productive day.

“I doubt they would answer.” Solas sighs, clearly they wanted nothing to do with this mess, not that he was surprised in any way. They got out of this a long time ago. He couldn’t blame them for not wanting to step into it again. 

“I could try scrying? See what they’re up to?”

“I do not want to put any pressure on your spirit right now-”

“Scrying is easy. Besides, I’ve seen enough of them. I should be able to find them quickly so long as I choose one I’ve studied before. Daern’thal popped up a lot. I could try him. He’s the leader of their council anyway, right? If anyone would know about stuff like this, it should be him. Come on, it can’t hurt to try.” Felicity sits up a little straighter on the couch, rolling her shoulders as she prepares to cast.

Solas dismisses the agent, locking the balcony after he departs. He turns his attention back to Felicity, sighing she winces.

“Another false contraction?” He murmurs as he kneels in front of her, his hands spanning her belly, his magic seeping in and relaxing the spasming muscles. 

“Yeah, but it’s alright. Thanks, honey.” Felicity leans forward to kiss his forehead. “Ready? I’m actually getting excited, I’ve been wondering what their cities look like over there after all this time. The few I saw in your memories were breathtaking. Like Mirkwood come to life.”

“Promise you will drawback if it becomes too much.”

“I promise, you big worrywart.” Felicity giggles at his grumbling before closing her eyes and focusing her spirit on casting. Daern’thal was tall; his long crystalline hair always looked flawless no matter where Felicity saw him in Solas’ memories. She wondered if he used magic to keep it from getting all tangled up, or if it was because it was crystal it couldn’t get tangled. 

Could they braid their hair? She would have to remember to ask Panelan how that worked. She shakes her head a little to focus back on the task at hand. 

He had a stern expression most of the time, though there were a few times Felicity had caught smiles and smirks when Solas would insult the Evanuris in his presence. Daern’thal’s body was completely clear, no hints of color anywhere on his person, at least that she or Solas saw, and as Felicity finally starts the spell, her magic races off to find the person who matched who she created in her mind’s eye.

It takes a few moments, but soon she is looking out over a vast city. It was nighttime where she was, and the sky was devoid of anything that would hide the moons and stars. It was breathtaking, the night sky, but so was the city alive beneath it. It was a flourishing empire, and the more Felicity studied it, the more magic she saw. Magic was everywhere, as it had been before the Veil was created.

Had the Dun’himelan figured out a way to stop the Veil from taking magic from them? Had they been living in a world like this the whole time? Could they use whatever they had done to keep the Veil from affecting them to help Felicity and Solas ease the Veil down here?

Felicity was so distracted by the city, by the possibilities this one glimpse of the Dun’himelan gave them, she didn’t notice when the man she was scrying on turned around. Daern’thal felt the magic hovering behind him, though he’d never felt such magic before, and as he focuses, studies the power hovering there, he can piece it together.

“What an imaginative spell, you truly do not limit yourself, Inquisitor.” His voice, light and smooth, draws her attention, and her eyes snap back to him. “At least, I assume it is the Inquisitor to whom I speak. This spirit does not feel like Fen’Harel’s, and I do not imagine any others over there are capable of such spells, let alone aware of who we are.”

“I can see him, Solas! Their whole city! It’s so beautiful! He’s talking to me, but I don’t think I can send a message back like this. I might need to stop for a moment. I wanna talk with him-” Felicity had been babbling in awe of what she saw, Solas waiting silently as she reported back everything. When she suddenly stops talking, he begins to worry.

“As you do not seem to want to keep to yourself as we told you to, by all means, join us here for a visit.” Daern’thal reaches out, his entire body glowing brilliantly as he casts. Instead of his hands passing harmlessly through the sensor that Felicity saw through, they latch onto her shoulders. He creates a portal through the magical link she had been seeing through and pulls her to him. A second later, she is standing there in front of him, gasping as her senses are overwhelmed. A heartbeat later, she passes out, her body needing time to adjust to the changes, but Daern’thal had assumed that would happen. 

It was quite the jump she just underwent, after all. He picks her up, noting her pregnant state with a quiet hum, before laying her in bed. He would have to report this to the council, of course, better sooner rather than later. No doubt her husband would be joining them as soon as he could manage.

With a sigh, Daern’thal remembers back to the angry young man known as Fen’Harel. Maybe he shouldn’t have pulled his wife through without any warning; no doubt he would come storming in here to get her back.

~~~~~

Solas stares at the empty couch for a moment, his eyes wide and his hands empty. Felicity was gone, and she was so far away. Her spirit was farther than it had ever been from him, and the little flickers he could get all pointed to her being unconscious. With a snarl, he leaps to his feet, uncaring if anyone felt his magic lashing out around him as he races to the door. 

Adaar stands there, his conversation with Dáithí having come screeching to a halt at wherever was going on in the room, and they turn around to see what was wrong. They don’t say anything before following Solas, knowing something must have happened to Felicity to make him this mad. Panelan comes stumbling from his room with weapons drawn, Percy trailing after as well with a confused look on his face. All of a sudden, Panelan had frozen, and for a heartbeat, he stayed that way. Then he was pulling away, ending the kiss that sent butterflies fluttering in Percy’s stomach and racing from the room with daggers in hand.

“What-”

“Hold on.” Solas barks, cutting off Panelan, but yanks both him and Percy closer to Dáithí and Adaar. He wasn’t going to try and do this all alone, and he knew if he didn’t bring them along, he would never hear the end of it. Solas tears off his wolf jaw pendant, and it takes all of his control not to smash it onto the ground. He sets it down, hastily drawing some more runes on the floor around it before powering it up with his magic. The portal runes he had embedded in the jawbone burst to life, and in a flash of blue energy, they were all transported out of Skyhold.

Panelan knows where they are going, and the moment they are there, he steps away to grab whatever he can. No doubt they wouldn’t be here long, and Solas seemed to be in a fighting mood. 

The others all take a moment to blink before turning to look at their surroundings. They are underground in a courtyard of sorts, trees and vines surrounding them. It takes a moment, but eventually, Percy recognizes it.

“The runes near Denerim, these were your ruins?”

“Indeed.” Solas answer, grabbing a few key artifacts he’d hidden away here before attaching his sword to his back. 

“Who are we fighting?”

“No one, but maybe everyone.” The three men standing staring at Solas were not at all satisfied with that answer, but before they can snap at Solas, he sighs. “Felicity tried scrying on the Dun’himelan, on Daern’thal, and it worked. He must not have appreciated it because he used her magic to track back to her body and pulled her through a portal to himself.”

“Where is she then?” Percy starts to feel the terror and rage that Solas did, and just as he wished he brought his own weapons, Panelan is there passing ancient Elvhen equivalents into his hands.

“Across the sea where the Dun’himelan made their homes.”

“How do we get there?” Adaar asks arms crossed over his chest. He already had his weapon on him, and he was in his armor as always. Whatever they faced, he was ready.

“The same way Anaris got here all those years ago. He linked a portal here, so Panelan and Thelris could go back to their people if they wished. So long as the Dun’himelan haven’t destroyed the other half of the runes over there, we should be able to power it back up. I was going to wait until we established contact with them, I had no desire to start conflicts with them, but I cannot let this stand.” Solas is gone in the blink of an eye, off to start preparations to get the portal up and running, leaving the other men there in silence.

“Come with me. I will see if we have any armor for you.” Panelan motions for Percy and Dáithí to follow. He hoped this didn’t end in a fight to get Felicity back, but it was always best to be prepared for anything. In the armory, Panelan is not surprised to see Felasil missing, sure that now that Solas was here, the creature had gone off in search of his master. It was probably for the best, Panelan didn’t want it scaring Percy and Dáithí as they tried to find the proper supplies.

Solas is in the middle of trying to gather the necessary supplies when he feels a looming presence behind him. With a sigh, he turns around, unsurprised to see Felasil there, the small pouch Cole must have given him held in its mouth.

“I do not have time-” He’s cut off when Felasil carefully sets the pouch on the ground at Solas’ feet and nudges his shoulder with his head. Solas groans, wondering for the umpteenth time how he ended up with this puppy like Varterral. No doubt Dirthamen would be laughing in his prison if he saw this. The quiet man had gifted each of the First Born a Varterral when they started to build an empire. Solas had always wondered if Dirthamen had given him Felasil on purpose, knowing this one was a little slow on the uptake, though he fought just as fiercely as his brothers when it came down to it. “Felasil-” Another nudge and a little whimper from him as he looms a little closer. “I know you want to meet her, but right now-”

This time, Felasil grabs the pouch again and tries to force it into Solas’ hands. Once he takes it, Felasil lets out a little yip, though the creaking sound of his body shifting almost drowned it out.

“You want to guard her in place of these?” Solas asks incredulously, eyebrows raised high as he looks back at his Varterral. He would have to have a talk with Cole when they got back. Clearly, the boy had shared more than just the pouch with Felsail. “And how is it you plan to do that? You are the size of a small room.” Solas rolls his eyes when Felasil hunches down to try and make himself appear smaller. Why he was wasting time talking with Felasil, he didn’t know, but it actually made him feel a little better.

Felicity was rubbing off on him.

“I should have picked you to guard her from the start, is that it? What if she does not like Varterral’s?” Felasil made a dismissive noise, nudging Solas more instantly this time as he turned back to begin gathering what he’ll need to reconnect the portals. “She does not like spiders, and you are rather spider shaped.” 

He grabs a few more scrolls before Fade Stepping from the room towards the library. Permanently etched into the stone of the floor were intricate runes Anaris had created, and to this day, there were some sections of the magic that Solas didn’t understand at all. He begins to set everything up, heaving another heavy sigh when a moment later Felasil is there nudging him again, this time knocking Solas off his feet.

“Felasil! Stop throwing a tantrum, I have to get this working so I can go get her-” He grabs one of the scrolls Solas had dropped when he fell and steps back, making another yipping sound that was so out of place for the large creature Solas just groaned again. 

_ How  _ had he gotten stuck with this idiot?

“Fine! Give me the scroll and behave and I will shrink your size as well as introduce you to Felicity when we return.” Felasil lets out a happy cry, and though the sound was ear-splittingly loud, Solas couldn’t help but smile a little. Felicity really had softened his stone-cold heart. With a wave of his hand and a little bit of magic, Felasil is now the size of Solas’ palm, and he happily runs around on the floor as Solas returns to his work.

In time, Panelan leads the others to the room, and they help Solas as much as they can as he tries to restart the ancient magic. It would take time, time all of them would spend worrying over Felicity, but this was the only way they could get there in any reasonable amount of time.

Felasil alone remained happy as he scurried around, meeting all these new people his master cared about, people for him to protect. 

He was going to show Solas how much he’d grown in his absence. 

~~~~~

Felicity wakes with a groan as another false contraction starts, her mind fuzzy as she reaches down to rub where her little baby was moving against. He was moving a lot, more than typical, she wondered if she should talk to the midwife about that. Felicity worried about the littlest thing, she pestered her with questions all the time, but she always got calm answers and a gentle smile. 

As she rolls over to sit up, she begins to notice a few key things were off. One, this was not her bed, and Solas was not there with her. Two, there was this faint hum of music in the air that never had been there before. And three, there was magic everywhere. She opened her eyes, and it was like she was in a whole new world. She saw colors she never could even imagine, everything tingling around her with its own energy, waves of magical power swirling peacefully around her as she stands. 

It felt so right here like she was whole when she didn’t even know she was missing pieces. 

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” Felicity mutters offhandedly, trying to figure out where she was, but her mind was still fuzzy, especially now that it was overloaded with what her senses were telling her. When she sees a balcony on the other side of the room, she rushes forward, something familiar about that sparking in the back of her mind. Felicity’s breath catches in her throat at the sight of a magical city sprawls out beneath her. “Wait, this is- I was- the Dun’himelan!” Excitement and anxiety fill her as she looks around before spinning back to the room, where she hears a soft chuckle.

“You woke sooner than we thought.”

“Daern’thal.” Felicity breathes, eyes wide as she is face to face with a man she’d only seen in Solas’ memories. He was more stunning in person, and it was easier to make out his facial expression like this. He looked amused at her reaction, a small smirk dancing across his face as she continued to study him.

“It seems my reputation precedes me. It is a pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor Felicity Maria Pennel, though an unexpected one.” Felicity lets out a confused little laugh, nodding in agreement, but her eyes remain locked on him.

“How did I get here?”

“I brought you through a portal after tracing your magic back to your body. We had heard you had strange magic at your disposal, though I never imagined you would be able to cast your gaze so far.”

“Where is Solas?”

“No doubt trying to get here, it will be interesting to see how he does it.” Daern’thal hums, motioning for Felicity to follow him, something she does without questioning it. Maybe she should be a little wary, but nothing about him made her feel like she needed to put up any walls. “Are you hungry?”

“Um… yes, probably. As a general rule, lately, I’m hungry all the time, but there’s a lot going on right now, and I’m kinda in shock, so I can’t really tell. There are so many colors! It’s like those shrimps that are supposed to be able to see so much more back on Earth! I think it was shrimp, maybe it was a fish; I never did spend much time focusing in biology class. Wow, I’m really rambling. I’m sorry, I’ll shut up- oh my god, it’s so fucking pretty!” Felicity rushes forward to the railing they were coming up to, stairs going down on each side of the large room. “Thranduil’s interior designer has nothing on you guys!”

Her outburst draws attention from several passersby, all looking a little shocked to see an Elvhen woman here, more so because it was one they didn’t know. A couple of Elvhen had come with them when they’d abandon their homes, but they were few and far between.

“I am glad you find it so.” Daern’thal is chuckling again, and Felicity’s cheeks heat up, feeling more than a little foolish for her outburst. Her guide quietly shakes his head as he continues to lead them down the stairs to one of the long tables filling the vast room. He very much wanted to see this bubbly woman interact with Fen’Harel, their personalities so at odds from what he remembers of the young man.

“Oh wow…” Felicity looks at the food covered table, some of it looking familiar, like eggs, and potatoes, and various meats. But there are also strange-looking fruits and pastries and a weirdly blue drink she was dying to try. Her wide eyes swing back to Daern’thal, who watches her with a bemused smile. She was glowing, actually emitting light from her person. He’d never seen something like this before. “Do you mind if I…?” Felicity motions to the food, her stomach rumbling loudly, and Daern’thal shakes his head.

“Eat your fill, Inquisitor. I imagine it will be a busy day today.” Felicity giggles, already reaching for one of the spikey looking grapes that were white as snow. 

“That’s fair. I’m having trouble sending a message to Solas, so he doesn’t come in here guns blazing. Do you know why it’s not working?”

“You are not accustomed to the Fade and the waking world as one. Your spirit does not quite know what to make of it, and in an effort to protect itself, both you and your child, it is keeping itself within. You will likely not be able to cast until you have had time to adjust to your surroundings. It could be hours, it could be days. It varies from person to person. Our agents who spend too long in the mainland of Thedas and then return to us have similar issues.”

“Makes sense.” He expected more fear or anxiety from her upon learning she couldn’t cast, but instead, she sits there happily biting into her third pastry. “I’ll keep trying. I really don’t wanna start anything between you guys and Solas. But this is for the best, he’s got some questions about, well, me but also everything. I assume you know what’s going on back home? Coryphy-shit and all that jazz?”

“Yes, Inquisitor, we are aware. Your people have done great work thus far in keeping his plans in check.”

“Thanks, it’s- it’s been rough, but I think we’re doing pretty damn good all things considered. That reminds me, I gotta talk to you about the Veil too, I don’t wanna forget, but I probably will, so now it’s on you to remember. Sorry, but my memory’s been shit since I got pregnant. Okay, to be fair, it wasn’t all that great before either. I actually forgot Solas is Fen’Harel, so that should tell you all you need to know. I’m rambling again, sorry.” Felicity laughs again, reaching for some kind of egg dish to try. She didn’t know why she was so rambly. She just felt so… good here. She had so much energy she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it all.

“You need not apologize, Inquisitor.”

“You can just call me Felicity. When people say ‘Inquisitor’ it always makes me feel like I did something wrong. Like when my mom used to use my full name as a kid when I was bad. What do I call you? Daern’thal? Or is that too personal? Do you have a title or something else you go by?”

“My name will suffice as well.”

“You’re speaking English- or Common, I suppose- is that your guys’ native language?”

“No, it is not. We speak a language similar to ancient Elvhen.”

“I see. I’ve been learning Elvhen from Solas, languages are kind of my thing, so I’d love to try and pick up what I can. I’d hate to inconvenience you guys here when we’re the ones who came stomping in. When I can cast again, I can translate that way as well, if that’ll help. Does everyone here know Common?”

“No, but enough of us do. You need not worry over that either.”

“You’ll find worrying is one of my strong suits, and it annoys the shit out of my friends. What are these? They are fucking divine!” Daern’thal, and a few others around them, watch as she eats her fifth pastry, licking the jam from her fingers with a satisfied hum.

“They are a type of sweet roll with jam.”

“Is the cook busy?”

“I… do not know. Why?”

“I wanted to tell them how great their food is and thank them for the meal.”

“We can stop by the kitchens later. The rest of the council has requested to meet you.”

“Oh yeah, no problem. That makes sense, who’s all in the council? Just the other First Born?”

“Essentially, yes. There used to be six of us, our numbers are now down to four. Myself, Geldauran, Eithor, and Milui. Anaris and Cyrilan both passed on.”

“I remember Anaris; he gave his life up so Solas could make his focus, the one Corypheus has. Solas said the hearts of your people have a great deal of power.”

“He is correct.” Daern’thal’s voice softens as he glances off to the side. Even just saying their names brought up a wave of memories to the surface even though it had been so long since they’d walked in this world. “They were bound, and when Cyrilan lost his life to Elgar’nan and Mythal, Anaris was not the same. Once we were settled here, he went back to Fen’Harel and gave up his life to give him the chance to get rid of the Evanuris at last.”

“I’m so sorry.” Felicity’s light dims, her eyes falling to her empty hands, unsure of what else she could say. The Evanuris had taken so much from these people. A simple sorry didn’t seem like nearly enough.

“You had nothing to do with it. Why are you apologizing?”

“I don’t know, I’m still sorry about it. It sucks what they did. I’m sorry for bringing it up-”

“Stop.” His tone is stern but not harsh, and Felicity snaps her mouth shut. “If you are finished, we can get the meeting out of the way. Once it is finished, you can have some time to wander and adjust.”

“Okie dokie. Lead the way.” Felicity jumps to her feet, taking a few steps before another false contraction steals her breath away for a heartbeat.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re good. Sorry.” She smiles at Daern’thal before playfully glaring down at her belly. “You need to start behaving, mister.” Daern’thal grins at her soft words, peeking at her from the corner of his eyes. It was easy to see how much she already loved the baby, and that would only grow.

“You are having a boy?”

“I think so, but we don’t know for sure. I wanted to be surprised, but I’m also pretty sure it’s a boy. You wanna feel him kick? He’s been super kicky today.”

“I am alright, thank you.” They make small talk until eventually, they are standing in front of two grand doors, Felicity finally feeling a little nervous. In moments like these, she didn’t feel like anyone important, anyone with power. She felt like a little girl with stage fright before her first marching band competition. 

Nothing to do but take a deep breath and put her best foot forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada, plot stuff~! Here we go with world-making (kinda), and I'm pretty proud of what I've made, not gonna lie. ^^
> 
> Also, sorry for the slight delay in the update; I usually like to post are 6:00, but I got to see my older sister and my three nephews for the first time in a long, LONG time, and I was a little busy. So it's a sorry, but not really sorry, lol. :D


	47. Chapter 47

Four chairs are evenly spaced around a half-circle table at the far end of the room. It all sits on a platform maybe a foot higher than the rest of the room. Three of the four chairs are already filled, Felicity taking a moment to study each one.

The only one she could recognize on sight was Geldauran. He was the most vocal about his disgust with the Evanuris and desperately wanted to fight back against their tyranny. A scowl seems to be permanently in place on his crystalline face, his hair kept short and slicked back. He wears darker leather armor, though thankfully, he was the only one who seemed prepared for a fight amongst them. He sat in one of the middle chairs, the other empty chair Felicity assumed was for Daern’thal. 

Sitting on the other side of Geldauran was a woman who couldn’t look more bored with her surroundings if she tried. Her eyes spent a fraction of a second studying Felicity before dismissing her with a huff, her eyes landing on the book open in front of her. She wore a stunning gown of deep blue with a lovely cloak Felicity wanted so badly to try on. With her pouty lips and long wavy hair, she could have been a model, and suddenly Felicity feels very self-conscious. In comparison, she was wearing a sleep wrinkled sweater of Solas’, soft leggings, and simple footwraps. 

In the last chair sits a young man, with a smile on his face. The longer Felicity looked, the more sure she was. This preteen looking ray of sunshine shouldn’t be here. But his smile was infectious, and soon, Felicity has one of her own shining right back at him. He reminded her of Panelan, both of them having similarly messy hair and relaxed posture. He was wearing fine- though plain in comparison to his companion’s dress- trousers and shirt with soft leather boots.

“Hello!” The young man says, rising to his feet as his smile grows. “You must be the Inquisitor!” His Common was a little more accented, but it was easy enough to understand him.

“Eithor.” Geldauran snaps as he too rises to his feet, though he leans forward on the table, his intense eye canceling out the spark of light from Felicity. “What have we said about-”

“Peace,” Daern’thal says with a sigh, and Felicity couldn’t help but snicker a little bit. It sounded like he had done this exact thing many times before. “This is indeed the Inquisitor. Lady Felicity Maria Pennel, Lightbringer to her people, wife of Fen’Harel.”

“Hello, yes, I’m the Inquisitor. He said that already, sorry. Um...” Felicity awkwardly waves, quickly deciding to only look at Eithor or Daern’thal. Geldauran’s intensity was too much to bear, and the woman who she assumed had to be Milui made her feel inferior. Like a small child, playing pretend in her mother’s shoes. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

Milui tsks, not lifting her eyes from the book, Geldauran’s scowl seems to deepen, and Eithor’s smile grows.

“I do not speak Common often. I am pleased you are able to understand me.”

“Oh yeah, you’re doing great. There’s a little bit of an accent, but it’s super cute, so don’t worry about it.” His hand raises up, rubbing the back of his neck as he lets out a laugh, the sound clear as a bell, almost a little musical. Felicity suddenly feels so protective of this young man, his happy attitude needing protection at all costs. “I’d try and speak your language, but I haven’t had a chance to learn it yet. Hopefully, someday, though, we can do this in your tongue.”

“You are not supposed to be here now. What makes you think you will be coming back?” Geldauran snaps, Felicity flinching at his sharp tone.

“I mean, I guess that’s fair. But we were going to come eventually, if not in regards to Corphy-spit, than in regards to me. Sooo… I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m sorry for barging in, but isn’t it better to get this over with?” Milui mutters something under her breath in what Felicity assumes is their native tongue. Guessing from her tone, it was nothing nice. “Excuse me, is there something you’d like to say to me? That’s really just being unnecessarily rude.”

Milui turns and pins her with a look of such disgust and disinterest, for a moment, Felicity doesn’t even know how to react. She says something else in the same foreign tongue, both Daern’thal and Eithor snapping at her, but it didn’t stop her.

“What’d she say?” Felicity turns to Daern’thal, irritation welling up and taking the place of anxiety.

“She said she would never sully her tongue with such a primitive language.” He supplies with a heavy sigh. Honestly, he didn’t know why they were so intent on meeting Felicity; two of the three didn’t even want her here.

“Oh, eat a dick.” Felicity spits back at her, rolling her eyes at everyone’s wide eyes and silencing the little voice in her back of her mind yelling at her not to say such things. Pregnancy really did a job on the filter she had between her brain and her mouth. And she already didn’t have a great one. “Look, lady, if you don’t like me, that’s fine. Honestly, I’m not too keen on you either. But you don’t have to go around being a bitch because of it.” She looked absolutely flabbergasted, which Felicity enjoyed immensely. Eithor and Daern’thal both looked surprised but not upset over her worlds. Even Geldauran looked a little impressed by her reaction. 

“I like her!” Eithor says with another laugh, easily breaking the tension.

“That does not change anything. We-” This time it’s Daern’thal that is interrupting in their native tongue, growling something to him as he pins him with a stern glare. “This is not our fight. Why waste time pretending that it is?” Geldauran responds in Common, so Felicity knew he wanted her to hear that.

“Um, hey, sorry to interrupt, is this about the Tevinter would-be god asshole? Because we’ve got that handled for the most part. Solas was more thinking of coming to you guys in regards to the other would-be god assholes. And the Veil. And, again, me. He’s convinced my spirit is like yours, even though my body is Elvhen. I-”

“Felicity, we can speak of this later when Fen’Harel arrives. Your body is still adjusting. It would not be wise to push the limits.” Daern’thal’s even tone catches Felicity’s attention, and she turns to look at him. He looked a little concerned, and it was then that Felicity finally realized she had started to shake. With that little fact sweeping away the wonder of this new world and the emotions from meeting all these new people, Felicity indeed felt quite worn out. “This was not meant to be a full meeting to discuss everything, only a chance for you to meet the others. I apologize that it was more overwhelming than intended. Eithor, if you could take her back to her rooms.” He said something after that in his own tongue, his tone shifting as his hard eyes fell on Geldauran.

It seemed they would continue this heated meeting without Felicity.

“Of course, follow me.” Eithor offers Felicity an arm, one she gladly takes as the fatigue overwhelms her. The doors shut almost silently behind them, which surprised Felicity. She thought for sure they would echo loudly. They don’t get far before Felicity remembers what had been added to her to-do list.

“How do you say ‘thank you for the delicious food’ in your tongue? Also, where are the cooks?” Eithor easily answers though he is a little confused as to why she needed to know. They practice as they walk, Eithor a little surprised at how easily she picks it up. Once they reach the kitchens, she quickly steps in, awkwardly waving when all eyes turn to her. Work comes screeching to a halt, and just as Eithor is about to step in and apologize, Felicity bows.

_“Thank you for the delicious food!”_ Felicity says almost perfectly, only a slight accent present. “It was delicious, especially those sweet rolls. Thank you for all your hard work.” She switches back to Common as she stands back up again, grinning at the stunned faces.

One of the men steps forward, Felicity assuming he must be the head cook or something, and quietly says something to Eithor, who nods with a smile.

“Thank you, Inquisitor.” The syllables are a little disjointed, but Felicity doesn’t care, happily giggling and shaking her head.

“No, no, thank you. It’s hard cooking for a lot of people, and you guys do it wonderfully.” Another false contraction stops her from getting into it, and with it, her spirit tightens a little more around her and the baby. A wave of exhaustion steals her breath away, but before she can fall to her knees, Eithor is there supporting her.

“Come, it is time you rest.” Felicity repeatedly apologizes as she leans against him, not that Eithor was having any of it. “It is nothing you need apologize for. This is normal for those who have lived without the Fade for a good length of time.”

“Still, I’m sure you’ve got more important stuff to do than looking after my dumb ass.”

“My studies are not time-sensitive, and I am sure we will have time to discuss them later. I imagine Fen’Harel will be quite interested.”

“Solas.” Felicity quietly corrects.

“They are one and the same, yes?”

“Well, yes, technically. But Fen’Harel is the name they gave Solas, something he eventually took pride in because it inspired fear in his enemies and hope in his friends. But there is a man behind the title; there is so much more to him than simply the Dread Wolf.”

“...You are right. I will try to remember that in the future. I never knew him as Solas, only Fen’Harel. I have been told he has changed quite a bit.”

“I think it was more like he changed back to what he was, but yes.”

“You truly love him.” Eithor quietly says with a wistful smile. Her love was clear as day within her. It was in every word she spoke of when it came to her husband. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little jealous. Eithor had many distractions over the years, but nothing as intense and lasting as what Felicity had.

“I do, but he makes it easy. There’s no one who’s got your attention?”

“No, my studies usually keep me busy.”

“That’s not a bad thing.”

“No, and I quite enjoy my studies. But I do get envious when I see such peace and happiness in those bound.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open for anyone to set you up with.” Felicity laughs at Eithor’s stunned expression, thanking him with a quick hug before shuffling into her room and collapsing onto the bed. 

~~~~~

Felicity wakes a few hours later feeling much better, and though she is still unable to cast anything, she feels like her spirit is slowly returning to normal. Thankfully, that feeling of rightness doesn’t disappear as her body adapts to the Fade. Someone brought her some clothes while she slept, as well as a small plate of snacks and some water.

The clothes are much too fancy for her tastes, but she supposed it would be rude to refuse and inappropriate to keep walking around in Solas’ sweater. She’s in the middle of trying to tame her curls when there is a knock on the door.

“Come in!” She calls, and after a moment, the door slowly opens. Felicity can see in the reflection of the door in the mirror, and she smiles at the young lady who was standing there looking timid. “Hello, what can I do for you?”

“They are preparing for dinner and wished to know if you would care to join them, Lady Inquisitor.” She bows; that action alone makes Felicity feel more than a little uncomfortable. 

“I’d love to. And, um, I mean, you don’t have to bow and stuff. I’m just… me.” She hesitantly nods, but Felicity gets the feeling she didn’t really understand what she said. Which was fair, so Felicity wasn’t going to hold anything against her. “Is it like, right now?”

“In a little bit, yes. I can help you prepare.”

“Oh, that’s alright, I’m pretty much done. I just need to fix my hair.”

“If I may?” The woman motions for Felicity to sit, and she does just that. With quiet surety, the woman does Felicity’s hair. She doesn’t know if it would be rude to ask the lady if doing their own hair was any different since they were all crystalline, so Felicity keeps her mouth shut.

Eithor appears at the door to escort her, commenting on how nice she looked with such a genuine smile Felicity couldn’t help but blush a little. They walk to a different room than before, a smaller, more secluded one with a single circular table within. Three of the people she recognized, the other First Born, but three other strangers were sitting at the table. All eyes turned to them, all their quiet conversations amongst themselves halting as they seem to wait for Felicity to make the first move.

“Hello again. Thank you for the clothes. They’re lovely.” Milui muttered something that Felicity completely ignored, though she did see Daern’thal glare at her. “And the room is gorgeous. Thank you so much for letting me stay there. The view is, god, it’s really something else.” Felicity sighs wistfully as she remembers staring out at the landscape for nearly half an hour after she woke up and got changed.

“I am glad you find it so.” Daern’thal nods with a small smile before turning to begin another set of introductions. Hopefully, this time they would not get so confrontational. “This is my Nimdis, that is Milui’s husband Devron, and Geldauran’s partner Trinir.”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you all.” All three smile and echo the greeting; Felicity a little surprised when Devron and Trinir both seem genuine. She half expected them to take their cues from their spouses and hate her on sight. Nimdis has this quiet peace about her, seeming more mature than Felicity could ever dream of being. Devron looks laid back, in stark contrast to his wife, who looked like she still had a stick up her ass. He’s missing his left arm, and there are crack-like scars that climb up from the left side of his neck and up to his eye. Trinir looks so young, and soft Felicity has to wonder what he sees in Geldauran’s scariness. 

“I heard you liked sweet rolls, so I made some just for the occasion.” Trinir says, his laughter filling the air, and Felicity watches in wonder as that sound alone softens Geldauran’s whole attitude. 

“I love sweets, and I don’t know what you guys put in these, but they’re amazing. I bet yours are to die for.” Felicity sits in the chair Eithor pulls out for her, easily talking with him and Trinir as the rest of the food was brought out. When the baby starts kicking again, both men eagerly agree when she asks if they wanna feel. The wonder in their eyes as they feel him kick warms Felicity’s heart. 

Trinir turns back to glance at Geldauran with a look of longing. Anyone who said men didn’t also get baby fever were dead wrong.

Milui doesn’t say a single thing to Felicity throughout the meal, even going so far as to ignore those who did include her in conversation. Devron doesn’t say much, but he doesn’t go out of his way not to. He seemed like he was just a man of few words.

Felicity is in the middle of trying to explain Oreo’s when there is an angry ripple of magic that passes through the room. All heads snapped up, turning to the west where the source had originated. She stops talking, looking around at those present, waiting for one of them to explain the significance of what that was because it was clearly not nothing.

“Your husband has arrived. It seems he found a way to teleport here.” Daern’thal quietly supplies, though his eyes remained locked on something Felicity couldn’t see. It shouldn’t have been impossible to teleport here from there. They made sure not to link any portals to keep this kind of thing happening. 

Had they missed a portal somehow?

Or had he somehow broken past all their barriers?

Neither were promising.

“He’s come looking for a fight.” Geldauran snarls, suddenly gone from the room, and Felicity- along with most of the others- jump to their feet.

“H-hold on, I’m sure that’s not it. Nobody needs to fight; it’s just a misunderstanding! Where is he? I need to clear this up before someone gets hurt.” 

“Follow me, quickly.” Daern’thal says as he rushes for the door, Devron and Eithor following as well. Felicity nods as she stumbles to her feet, trying to keep pace, but they do not hold anything back. When they were gone from sight, all she could do was try and coax her spirit into cooperating and trying to follow the faint flickers of what direction Solas was in.

When a loud, mournful howl sings through the air, Felicity feels her heartbreak a little. Solas had no doubt been freaking out for both her and the baby. 

The ground-shaking draws her outside, panting as she stumbles towards the large courtyard looking area. All she can see as she tries to find a door is a large black paw, and Felicity can’t help but roll her eyes. Of course, he would be dramatic and show up all Dread Wolf. Finally, she makes it outside, waddling up behind where Daern’thal and Eithor hold Geldauran back, the man already standing there with his sword drawn.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Felicity pants, pushing past everyone to stop any sort of fighting. “Everyone just take a deep breath.”

~~~~~

Solas had spent hours trying to power up the portal before realizing he would first need to reconnect some of the runes before anything would work. With an irritated huff, he hurries into the Fade. Wisdom is already there, offering what memories she had of when Anaris had made the portal.

Unfortunately, she doesn’t know much of how the Dun’himelan create their portals, the magic quite different from the Eluvian’s the Elvhen made for travel. It would take hours more of studying before Solas found what he was looking for and woke back up.

Each minute that passes without any word from Felicity sends another sliver of his sanity splintering off into the Void. And each piece he loses, he gets a little more desperate. He’s on the verge of contemplating blood magic when Percy drags him off to the side.

“What is it? It needs to be-”

“You need to listen to me for a second.” Solas’s eyes flicker to Percy when the young man refuses to let go of his shoulders. He’s shocked to see Percy with tears in his eyes but also a determination there to keep them from falling. “We need to get to her, and right now, you’re the only one who can figure that out. If you lose your cool now, we may lose any chance we have at getting her back. That is _absolutely_ unacceptable, so you need to take a deep breath, buckle down, and figure this shit out.”

“I-”

“I don’t want excuses. I want results.” Percy knew they were harsh words, he knew Solas was just worried about his wife and child, but they needed the calm, calculating side of Solas right now. Not the emotional, irrational side of him.

With a shaky breath and a nod, Percy lets him go, Solas turning back the runes to begin the process of reconnecting the ancient runes with their sister runes all those miles away. 

“He’s going to burn out.” Adaar quietly says to Dáithí at the other end of the room. They could not help with anything Solas was trying to do, as much as they hated to admit it. Dáithí quietly shakes his head. 

“Not until he finds her.” Dáithí had been watching Solas this whole time, and while he sometimes looked like he might pace a hole into the ground, he never started to look worn out. Until he found Felicity, Solas would keep going. Once he did find her, he would no doubt need a good long rest, but he would push through it all until he got there.

“I hope you’re right.” Adaar mutters, returning to watch Solas and Panelan work in silence. 

Finally, Solas reaches the point where all he has to do is power up the portal. He’d been at this for the better part of the day, and though it was discouraging to know it would still take several hours to power it up, he was happy they were at least making progress.

Now that he had a moment to think, the act of feeding his magic into the portal not a complex one, Solas can see the conflict in Panelan.

“You do not have to come if you do not wish to.” His quiet words startle Panelan, whose head snaps up, eyes wide as they land on Solas.

“I do, though. She’s my ward, my friend; there’s nowhere else I can be.” Solas quietly nods. He knows how upset Panelan had been when his people were forced out of the home when they ran from the Evanuris instead of fighting. He had been little more than a child when things began to heat up between the races, and though he was happy to see his people freed from the endless battles, he couldn’t just abandon the Elvhen people to the Evanuris. The common people suffered at their hands almost as much as the Dun’himelan had, and Panelan couldn’t turn his back on them.

“I wonder how they’ve managed without the Fade.” Panelan quietly muses, and Solas shrugs. “I suppose we will find out soon enough.”

A few more hours pass before Solas gathers everyone around the portal. And though they are all prepared for a fight, Solas truly hopes it doesn’t come to that. The Dun’himelan don’t deserve that, but more than that, Felicity would be furious if he went in swinging. 

They, as one, step onto the portal runes, and in a flash of purple magic, they are sent racing towards the matching portal runes where the Dun’himelan are. The others are preoccupied looking around at the land that flies past them, but Solas focuses solely on Felicity’s spirit. 

It was hard to sense her with the interference of the portal magic, and his heart freezes when they at last stop moving. It wasn’t the small garden they were in that freaked him out; it wasn’t even the presence of the Fade. It was that Felicity’s spirit was no stronger here even though he could feel she was so much closer. And the only reason he could think of where it would be so weak was if she were injured.

With an angry shout, Solas shifts, a blast of furious magic knocking those around him back a step. The Dread Wolf stands there in a heartbeat, everyone opening their mouth to question him, but they never get the chance. His head tips back, and he lets out a long, lonely howl before leaping forward. 

His magic wraps around the others, pulling them onto his back as he runs. They were in what looked like old ruins, and in the distance, they could see what was likely the central city sprawled out over the hilly landscape. 

“What the hell is going on?!” Percy yells, hoping someone could hear him over the sound of the wind rushing around them.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be anything good.” Panelan looked so torn, not that Percy could blame him. He just hoped Felicity was okay, that the baby was okay. 

_“Where is my wife?!”_ Solas stops once he reaches the main keep, a single man standing there waiting for them with his sword drawn. Only Panelan could understand the words Solas spoke, but the others could pick out the gist of it from his tone.

A few more people appear in the courtyard, both men trying to pull the other back. Solas shifts back, everyone else finding their feet on the ground once more, but before they can try and hold Solas back, he is lunging forward. 

“Wait, wait, wait!” Everything falls silent as a familiar voice yells from behind the Dun’himelan. “Everyone just take a deep breath.” Felicity shoves her way forward, panting and heaving, her face flushed from the effort of trying to run so far.

“Vhen’an!” Solas drops the sword and continues forward, but all Geldauran sees is the man rushing closer. He shakes Eithor and Devron off, blade raised high to strike Solas down, but Adaar and Dáithí move like lightning. Adaar knocks the blade away with his own, Dáithí nullifying the magic behind the attack, and stands at the ready to do it again. 

Geldauran’s eyes focus on the pair, and he just scoffs. 

“A human and a Qunari, that’s the best you have, Fen’Harel?!” He moves to attack, but Daern’thal is shoving him back again.

**“We are not fighting here.”** He snaps, power in his words washing over Geldauran, and immediately his posture relaxes. It was not often that Daern’thal had to use his full powers, and even less often did he have to use them against the other First Born, but they could not afford to start a battle here in the heart of their homeland.

Felicity happily lets Solas drag her into his arms, trying to laugh around her gasping attempts to keep breathing.

“Honey, I’m okay, I promise. It’s okay, everyone’s okay. I’m sorry, Solas, I’m sorry.” Solas can’t even respond; he was so overwhelmed with relief. There was so much he needed to ask, but right now, he couldn’t find a single word to say that wasn’t her name.

“You’ve got some nerve, Lissy.” Percy’s voice draws her attention, but it’s the Gibbs slap she receives that gets her to lean back from Solas enough to find him.

“I have to agree with him this time, da’asha.” Felicity cranes her neck farther to see that Panelan was there too. Did everyone come to get her? 

“Fen’Harel.” Daern’thal’s voice demanded attention, and Solas eventually leaned back, standing tall to look towards the man who called his name. “We were in the middle of dinner if you would care to join us. There is much to discuss.” He nods, motions for him to lead the way, noting Geldauran’s changed attitude with curious eyes. A flicker of magic brings his blade back into his hand, but he immediately sheaths it. With Felicity alive and well, there was no reason to fight unless they needed to defend themselves. 

As they walk, Solas keeps Felicity tightly pressed into his side, trying to calm all the emotions still spinning out of control under the surface. A futile task it seemed, all he could do was hope this dinner didn't last long.

When they got back to the room with the table, several more place settings were already set out for all the new guests. Trinir, Nimdis, and Milui are all still sitting there as if nothing had happened. Daern’thal was about to attempt introductions, but Felicity waves him off. 

This much she could handle.

“Sorry for all the excitement, you guys. This is my husband Solas, my brother Percy, my dad Dáithí, and my friends and guards Panelan and Adaar. Guys, this is Daern’thal and his wife, Nimdis. You’ve met Geldauran, that lovely man sitting next to him is his partner Trinir. Over there is Milui and her husband, Devron. And this ray of sunshine is Eithor.”

“You flatter me.” Eithor says, rubbing the back of his neck, though Felicity noticed his eyes kept flickering to Adaar. It didn’t look like it was fear that he felt; maybe he finally found someone that tickled his fancy. “It is good to see you again, Solas.”

“I wish it was under other circumstances.” His tone was dry as his spirit reached out to protectively wrap around Felicity. She gently elbows him, Solas rolling his eyes.

“Don’t be getting pissy about this. Eithor and Daern’thal have been nothing but nice since I got here.”

“Since they brought you here.” Percy corrects, Felicity turning to glare at him. 

“Alright, let’s clear this up right now. Yeah, they brought me here. Yeah, it was kind of a surprise. But I was scrying on them, so we’re even for that. Besides, we were going to have to come here anyway. What better time than when I’m supposed to be hiding?”

“Some forewarning would have been nice.” The words leave Percy’s mouth before he could think better of them, and he winces when Felicity’s hand connects with the back of his head.

“You can either start being decent, or I’m going to send you home.” She huffs, arms crossed over her chest, ignoring as all eyes of their hosts are locked on their bickering pair.

“How’s that going to work if you can’t cast?”

“I’ll find a way, don’t you worry about that.” Percy and Felicity glare at each other, but she can see there isn’t any real anger within him. Just worry and fear. She sighs, pulling him up from his chair so she could properly hug him. “I’m fine, really I am. I’m sorry to keep disappearing on you.”

“I can’t jump around like you can, and I can’t protect you if you’re so far away.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Those around them all turn their attention back to their plates, giving the siblings a quiet moment to themselves. After a few minutes and some more quiet words, they sit back down, Percy leaning into Panelan for a moment, Felicity doing much the same with Solas. “Adaar, you can sit with us at the table, you know. You don’t have to be on guard right now.”

“I am-”

“Here, look, there’s a spot right here next to Eithor. That way you’re still close in case something happens.” Eithor’s eyes go wide, but again, it didn’t look like it was because he was afraid of the large Qunari. Felicity was willing to bet if Dun’himelan could blush, he would be as red as a tomato.

On one half of the round the table sat all the Dun’himelan First Born and their spouses, and on the other was Felicity and her entourage. She and Solas sat in the middle, Percy and Panelan on Solas’ left, Dáithí, and Adaar on Felicity’s right. She hoped one day they would be able to mix a little more, trust each other a little more.

And maybe- just maybe!- one day, they could even be friends.


	48. Chapter 48

Dinner after that is still a little tense, but it goes off without a hitch. She ends up getting interrupted a few times to speak with Claire about something Gaspard was trying to do. As they had predicted, it was a shit show. Cullen had the other sending stone, and he was speechless when Felicity said where she and Solas were. He would pass along the message, but it would be a little bit before they could speak freely. 

Felicity is nearly falling asleep in her food by the time everyone is finished eating. Solas carefully picks her up, a sigh of relief let loose when he can feel it is just exhaustion and nothing worse that was causing her to feel so tired. Percy and Adaar are both feeling the same fatigue; Solas was actually surprised they lasted as long as they had here with the Fade all around them. Only Solas, Panelan, and Dáithí remained unaffected by the sudden presence of magic, and they helped get the others to their rooms.

Solas takes a moment to create makeshift versions of the Veil, something Percy and Adaar could wear on their person to help lessen the effects of the Fade around them. If need be, he could make stronger versions, but for now, he just wanted- needed- some time with Felicity.

He helps her change out of the fancy gown and robes, conjuring a sweater for her to sleep in before tucking her into bed and curling around her.

“M'fine.” She slurs when she wakes to feel him shaking. “We’re both fine, Solas.”

“I could not feel your spirit; I could only assume the worst,” Solas mumbles into her skin, trying to calm himself, but all his attempts end in him working himself up even more.

“Daern’thal said it was because my body isn’t used to the Fade.”

“That makes sense. It will take some time for you to grow accustomed to the Fade as it is now.” He sounded out of breath like he’d run a marathon before climbing into bed. 

“What do you need from me, Solas? How can I help?” He shakes his head, his mind muddled, his breaths coming short and fast. She’d never seen him this shaken before, and it breaks her heart. “Solas, look at me.” Felicity turns around so she can face him, waiting patiently until his frantic gaze flickers up. 

Once he’s focused on her, she pulls him closer, kissing him hard. There is a bite of pain behind the kiss, but Felicity pays it no mind, continuing to kiss him until she feels the tension leave his neck and shoulders. The kisses shift, softening as Solas finds his peace in her spirit, her skin, her scent. 

“I know it’s been stressful, but I actually like it here. It feels-”

“-right.” Solas finishes for her, his teeth marking her neck yet again. “This is how the world was meant to be, at one with the Fade. I am eager to see how they managed to keep the Veil at bay.”

“Eithor was saying something about it. I think he is the one behind it. He was also saying something about how you would be interested in his other research. Something about taking your and Dirthamen’s studies to exciting new heights.” That sticks in Solas’ mind, as the only thing they worked together on was studying the Fade and the Void, looking into the possibility of other realms. He makes a mental note to bring that up the next time they speak, but for now, he continues to leave little marks down the side of Felicity’s neck and over her shoulder.

“He is brilliant, I would not be surprised if he somehow single-handedly managed this feat.”

“He’s adorable, is what he is.” A sliver of jealousy wedges its way into Solas’ peace, and he lets out a low growl as his teeth nip a little harder. “Ow, hey! I’m not gonna lie and say he’s not adorable, but it’d be like a little brother kind of thing. There’s no one for me besides you, you silly old wolf.”

“As it should be,” Solas growls, switching tactics and leaving ticklish kisses over her skin to make her giggle and squirm. 

“You’re such a menace. Knock it off!” Her laughter is a beautiful distraction from the many, many thoughts swirling around in his mind, and he continues to tickle her until both their sides ache from laughing. 

“Ar lath’ ma vhen’an.”

“I love you too. Now, go to sleep, silly.” 

Felicity planned to make sure he did just that, but it isn’t long before her body decided it’s stayed awake long enough and drifts back to unconsciousness. Solas remains awake for a little while longer, trying to burn the image of her peacefully sleeping into his mind for the umpteenth time. He treasured these quiet moments, especially knowing that they would be few and few between once the child came.

Once he falls asleep, both dreamlessly rest, their bodies needing all the time they could get to regain their strength. They don’t see Geldauran appearing on the balcony, his eyes locked on where the pair was fast asleep. He takes a step forward, reaching for the handle on the door, but then there is a second presence behind him and a dagger at his back.

“It is awfully late to be visiting, Lord Geldauran.” Panelan’s voice is cool and even, his hands not wavering as he holds the weapons.

“What do you intend to do, boy?”

“What ever I must.”

“Do your parents know of your return?”

“Only if one of you has sent word. That will not change my actions here, I’m afraid.”

“You would die for them?” Geldauran spins around, a blade of his own clashing with Panelan’s, forcing him back a step.

“Happily.” Panelan snaps back, pushing against Geldauran to keep him from gaining any ground and forcing him over the edge of the balcony. “Would you not also die for Daern’thal?”

“He is-”

“It’s the same. They are great men- great leaders- worthy of respect. And Felicity has more goodness in her than any other living being I’ve ever met. I would happily die for either of them, and I will fight anyone who tries to hurt them.”

“They should not be here.”

“Maybe so, but they are here now. So unless you want the whole of the Inquisition and much of Thedas fighting their way here to avenge her, you had better turn in for the night... My Lord.” The tacked-on title at the end causes irritation to flare up in Geldauran’s eyes.

“You think I should be afraid of a disjointed band of mortals?”

“Yes, I truly do. You have not been watching them as I have. You know nothing of what they are capable of when pushed. They may not be as powerful as our kind, but they have untold numbers on their side, and they do not give up.”

“How did I know you would be here?” Eithor appears perched on the roof, casually looking up at the night sky. “Leave them be, Geldauran. They most likely will not be here much longer.”

“This much is already too much.” Eithor shrugs with a little hum at the angry words and furious expression of his brother.

“We can agree to disagree. Have a good evening.” Geldauran growls at the dismissal, irritated further because he knew that if he made a scene here, he’d never hear the end of it from Trinir and Daern’thal. They were taken in my Felicity, blinded to the danger her being here brought. 

In a flash, he vanishes, Panelan now turning his eyes to Eithor, but the daggers disappear as quickly as Geldauran had. The young man gracefully lands next to Panelan, easily smiling at him, the tension in the air leaving as he lets out a quiet laugh.

“It is nice to see you again, Panelan. When you and your brother remained behind, I had thought that would be the end of it. I am happy to have been wrong.” Eithor holds out an arm to him, and Panelan grabs it with a smile of his own.

“You couldn’t be right about everything. Imagine how insufferable you’d be, Lord Eithor.” Panelan had missed his friend and mentor. He’d spent much of his childhood under Eithor’s tutelage. Before everything escalated with the Evanuris, Panelan had planned on becoming his apprentice. 

“How are Thelris and Virdi?”

“Good, they woke some time ago, though after Solas and myself. They are with the Inquisition right now.”

“I did send a message to your parents, though it only stated that they should come by for a visit. I will leave it up to you whether you show yourself to them.”

“They are holding up well?” Panelan quietly asks, the guilt of leaving them once again welling up. Especially when he thinks about his mother, the woman is a lot like Felicity, always worrying about everything.

“At the start, it was quite hard on them, but they began to cope with the grief after you both did not return. You have a younger sister now.” Panelan’s head pops up, looking at Eithor with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“T-truly?”

“Indeed. She is still young. They only began trying for another child some hundred years ago.” Panelan lets out a bemused laugh, unsure what he should say or even do, for that matter. Of course, he wanted to see his parents, to meet his baby sister, but he wasn’t going to be staying here. They still had work to do on the mainland; he couldn’t just stop now and let them figure it out alone. “I did not bring this up to trouble you, though it seems to have had that effect anyways.”

“No, I- I am just unsure if I should wait until everything is done over there before seeing them. It will be harder to leave if I know what I’m leaving behind here.” Eithor quietly nods, his mind drifting for a moment as he thought. They didn’t know much beyond the large points of what was going on over there, and the time he spent talking with Felicity about it made it seem far worse than they anticipated. How she managed to carry the weight of it all and still smile… she was a rare gem to be able to push on and keep her light.

“You have some time to think on it. I imagine you will be here for a few more days. Still, Solas will do doubt have a great deal he wishes to know before leaving.”

“Why do you call him Solas when the others still say Fen’Harel?” Panelan had been curious about that, and he knew Solas was as well.

“Felicity spoke of it to me, reminded me there was a man behind the title. Besides, it seems like he is a far cry from the man I met back then.”

“A lot has happened between then and now,” Panelan says quietly, quickly shaking his head to try and displace the memories rising up. He had no desire to see them, certainly not right now.

“Indeed. You should get some rest, Panelan.”

“I will, thank you, Lord Eithor.” Panelan vanishes in a puff, a little sparrow flying off in his place. Eithor just grins and shakes his head, quietly tsking. 

Panelan knew that he didn’t need to speak so formally with him; they were far beyond needing that barrier.

Some things never changed, he supposed.

~~~~~

“Finally!” Felicity’s loud, happy shout wakes Solas up in a hurry, the poor man sitting up straight as a board, eyes looking around the room for the source of the sudden noise. “S-sorry! I was just super happy to be able to cast again. I wanted some Oreo’s.” Solas sighs, falling back onto the bed as he tries to slow his racing heart. “...Good morning?” Felicity says with a sweet smile as she sits on his side of the bed, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

“Good morning, vhen’an. You are up early.”

“I woke up a little bit ago. Everything is back to normal, at least, for the most part, I think, and I had too much energy to fall back asleep.” Solas quietly hums, turning to the side to kiss her back before sifting down to place a kiss on her rounded belly.

“It is good that you are adapting to the environment. I worry over the effects this will have on Adaar and Percy.”

“Oh shit, you’re right! Where are they at?”

“They are likely in their rooms. It is still early in the morning.” Felicity wants to rush out and check on them, but Solas still looked like he’d been hit by a train despite sleeping soundly through the night. 

“...Are you feeling any better?” Solas sighs and shakes his head. Physically speaking, he was feeling the same thing as Felicity. On the one hand, he had so much energy, his whole body singing in relief at having the Fade here again where it should be. But he’d well and truly worn himself out trying to get here, and emotionally his nerves were still frazzled. Feeling so good but also so bad was throwing his entire body out of whack, and evidently, it showed.

“I will be fine, da’len.”

“I’m not asking if you’re _going_ to be okay; I’m asking if you _are_ okay.” Felicity pushes him back down onto the bed when he tries to sit up, straddling his hips and staring down at him, still waiting for an answer. 

“You know the answer. Why ask?” He stares into her golden eyes, taking in the sight of his beautiful wife worrying over him. He knew her better than anyone else. Sometimes he thought he even knew her better than she herself did. But sometimes, she would do something, say something, act a certain way, and he wouldn’t have the foggiest idea as to why. “Why do you need to hear the words?”

“Because I worry about you always trying to carry everything on your own. If you’re not okay, you can tell me, and I can help. If you don’t tell me, I am left guessing. Sure, because I can feel you, feel all your emotions, I can guess better than most. But I don’t wanna guess when it comes to you. I wanna be sure. I want to help.”

“You always help, Felicity.”

“Well, yeah, but think of how much better I could help if you clued me in.” Felicity smiles cheekily at him, her heart warming when he finally smiles back at her. 

“I will try.”

“Thank you!” Felicity leans down, quickly giving him a peck on the lips before climbing off him and waddling back over to the Oreo’s. 

She was almost six months pregnant, but- as the midwife had anticipated- she was larger than was typical for other expecting elven women. The midwife assured Felicity she need not worry about it, and for the most part, she was telling the truth. But Solas could see the uncertain flickers in the steady gaze of the woman when each time she saw Felicity, she was a little larger.

“Alright, once you’re ready, let’s go find the others. If I don’t share the Oreo’s, Percy may actually kill me.”

Solas spends a little extra time on his meditation this morning, focusing on getting everything within him to settle. Felicity does nothing to hide her open staring, not that she ever did, and it didn’t bother him any. Once he feels like he probably won’t lose his mind dealing with Geldauran’s hostility, Solas and Felicity walk from the room to find Percy, Dáithí, and Adaar already eating their fill of breakfast.

Eithor was lounging there in a spare chair, having brought the food up to them to give him a chance to speak with both men. They were good company, or rather Percy was. Adaar didn’t have much to say, even when the questions were asked directly to him. 

Eithor got the impression they still were not forgiven for whisking Felicity away without any warning. 

When Felicity and Solas finally make an appearance, he’s quick to jump to his feet, an easy smile lighting up his face as he greets them. The hug he gets from Felicity comes as no surprise, but the offered hand from Solas does. 

“I am glad you are settling in well. It seemed yesterday you were managing to cast alright. There are no other linger side effects you are suffering from?”

“No, thank you.”

“I can cast again too, so I brought treats to celebrate. Think fast, Percy!” Not a heartbeat later, Felicity is hurling an Orea at his head as hard as she can. Without batting an eye, he catches it, his whole face lighting up as he recognizes the cookie.

“Oh hell yes! Adaar, pass me the milk, please!” Eithor watches as Percy dunks the object Felicity had thrown into the glass of milk before shoving it into his mouth. Whatever it was, the young man was clearly enjoying himself. 

“What did you throw?” Curious eyes flicker back to Felicity, who, while Eithor wasn’t looking, joined Adaar at the table munching on the same food she’d thrown.

“A type of cookie from her homeworld.”

“And she just creates them? Without any sort of base?”

“Indeed.” The Dun’himelan had ways of creating food, but they always had to start with a base, something tangible that could absorb the magic. It always had to be either a different kind of food they would change or the ingredients for the food they wished to have. Eithor watches with wide, curious eyes as Felicity makes a whole plate of the cookie out of thin air.

“Amazing.” Solas can’t stop the pride welling up in his chest at the awe in Eithor’s expression as he studies how easily the power of the Fade bends to her will. “Would it be rude to ask if she could show us the dragon she shifts into? Geldauran still doesn’t believe a non-Dun’himelan could manage such a shift, and I would so enjoy seeing his face when she proves him wrong.”

“I see no reason why she would not show you, and I do not believe she would take offense in your asking.” It made Solas feel a little better to see that things hadn’t changed much with the Dun’himelan. And though he knows Eithor enjoys giving Geldauran grief, he also knows that they would each give up their life for the other if it came down to it. 

“Excellent.”

“Get over here and try one of these, sunshine,” Felicity calls, and when no one comes closer, she turns to stare expectantly at Eithor.

“I am sunshine?” He points at himself, stunned by her words, a smile slowly growing as she starts to giggle.

“You bet your butt you are. Now, come on, Oreo’s and milk are to die for. 

~~~~~

“When you visited us all those years ago, I remembered you saying how you and Dirthamen were looking into the possibilities of other realms, as well as studying the Fade and Void. I had done what I could with those two, so I began to eagerly to find anything I could on the subject.” Eithor continues to explain as he leads the way to his laboratories, most of what he says flying over Felicity’s head, but Solas listened intently. It’s more than just a few rooms that he has set aside; it’s several large buildings tucked away in the back corner of the large city. 

The building they are interested in today is the farthest from the rest of the city, locked behind several heavy-duty barriers and wards. They are easily dismissed with a wave of Eithor’s hand, the man not missing a beat in his explanation of how he began his exploration.

Finally, they end up staring down a long hallway with doors on either side. On the various doors are different signs, not that Felicity knows what they say. But behind each one, she can feel crackles of magic just barely held back. 

“Peering into the worlds I found, studying them, were easy, and eventually, we started to send volunteers through. Though once we managed to get a portal open, I did notice that fragments of the Fade began to leak through as well, even after having closed the portal. We’ve sent our people to thirteen different worlds, though I have studied far more, only those seemed capable of sustaining life. Sadly, we never heard back from any of them. Ah, here we are.” Eithor’s whole body glows brightly for a moment as he unlocks the complex seals and locks on one of the doors. “We spoke of it, Daern’thal, the council, and I, and after still no word from the last party sent out, we decided we would no longer risk our people’s lives. I continued to see what I could find, developing new ways to catch glimpses in, but it had been some time since I considered any of our people making it back.”

“You sent people to Earth?”

“Yes, we did. Here, let me show you.” Eithor motions them to follow him into the room; Solas silently drinks it all in, all the research and notes and magic hanging in the air. This is what he had hoped to accomplish back in Arlathan, and he has so many questions he doesn’t know where to begin.

Eithor shuffles through some papers, falling silent for a moment as he searches for something in particular. Just as Felicity is about to wander towards the large glowing doorway, he victoriously holds up a small stack of papers.

“Here we are. Three Dun’himelan were sent to Earth. From what we could see, one died upon arrival, and the other two were soon lost in the ever-growing population. It is nearly impossible to pinpoint certain people or even places to glimpse into, and with how many humans were appearing each year, it was all too easy to lose our people in the mess. The last time I checked on your Earth, your people were heading out to the stars. Do you know much of that process?”

“Not the details, no. That’s who went?” Felicity steps closer, both she and Percy looking at the various portraits on the sheets.

“Yes, these ones.” Eithor pointed to two people, a man and a woman, but it doesn’t take a genius to know which one must have been somewhere near the start of their family tree. The woman could have been Felicity’s sister, the same messy curls and impish grin. “My best guess is that they integrated themselves into life on Earth, and after many generations, you two were born. Do you know much of your family history?”

“No, it wasn’t- it was just our mom and us. We never knew our grandparents, and I don’t think Mom knew hers.”

“It matters little in the long run, I suppose. What matters is that the Dun’himelan spirit was passed down the generations to you and Percy.” Felicity’s head snaps up, looking at Eithor in shock.

“Percy too? Even though he doesn’t have magic?”

“I took the liberty of taking a look as we chatted this morning, and I did find a dormant spirit at rest within him. We have seen it before. Some of the agents come back with spouses and partners from the mainland. A few generations go by, and the children have dormant spirits like his.”

“But Felicity’s was not dormant when she got here. From the start, we knew she was a mage.”

“She was pulled in through the Breach. There was a great deal of chaotic magic in the air that could have acted as a catalyst to wake her spirit.”

“The Breach jump-started my magic?”

“But her body-”

“-is Elvhen First Born, yes! It is fascinating seeing how our magic and spirits interact with your bodies! Have you figured out how you got from Earth to here through the Breach yet?”

“Mythal.” Solas and Felicity say at the same time. She had tried sending messages to Flemeth/ Mythal, but nothing ever came back. It was frustrating because there was so much they could clear up if they could just talk to the one responsible for bringing her and Percy here.

“Mythal? Anaris had said she was killed. Was that not what sent you over the edge against the others?”

“The First Born Elvhen do not so easily die. Part of her will survived. She appears in the stories Felicity has of here back on Earth. We have yet to be able to find her…” The words slowly die on his tongue, Solas’s eyes wide as he stares at a figure walking from the shadows of the room. Felicity gasps as she spots what startled Solas so. It takes only another heartbeat for everyone else in the room to turn. 

“Flemeth, you’re here!” Felicity moves to walk closer, but Solas immediately wraps an arm around her shoulder to keep her in place. It was true that Mythal was the best of the Evanuris, that she cared for The People, but her hands were just as bloody as the rest of theirs.

“I had wondered how long it would take you to come to the Dun’himelan, Fen’Harel.” Before Solas can say anything, Felicity huffs out an irritated sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Why didn’t you answer any of my messages? He’s been freaking out over this, and you could have cleared it up a while ago!” Solas looks a little worried at Felicity’s almost rude tone, but Flemeth just laughs.

“It is in his nature to worry. Besides, you had to come here for your answers anyway; I did not know all when I brought you both through. I saw your coming, your bond with Solas, but I had no idea I would need to pull you from another world until it was too late to come looking for an answer. I did not know the Dun’himelan well enough to make your bodies match your spirits. I decided to make you First Born Elvhen in hopes that it would be able to handle the power your spirits would create when awoken.”

“You saw her coming?”

“You know I’ve had visions before, Fen’Harel. I saw her coming long before the Great Wars, though I didn’t think it would be so long before she got here.”

“...You never told me.”

“Why would I?”

“I would have-”

“You would have acted differently, and who’s to say if you would have ended up here.” Felicity feels the emotions spiraling out of control in Solas, the hastily fluctuating emotions even starting to be visible on his expression. She turns to Percy, who also saw Solas struggling to contain everything, and he steps forward a bit.

“Why did you bring me through, though? You said you saw Felicity, but not me.”

“I did not see you, not until I looked for Felicity. You were dying. There was nothing more for you to lose. I had not realized how much energy it would require to create you a body, but it was for the best because it allowed me to better prepare for when I would draw her through.”

Eithor eventually recovers from the shock, and as she studies him, Felicity is worried he is going to start a fight. There was so much anger in his expression, so much hate for a moment she can’t even recognize him as the sunshine-y boy she’d come to know. Barriers burst into being around them, locking off not only the portal from them but also all the research and notes that filled the room.

“Now, now, there’s no need-”

“You are not welcome here.” His voice is layered with power, silencing Mythal, who didn’t look concerned in the least with his reaction, though Felicity thought maybe she should be. It didn’t look like Eithor was messing around. 

“I was under the impression you were curious about the Inquisitor here. Who better to explain-”

“You killed Cyrilan! I would sooner die with no answers than permitting you to stand there as if you have any right to show your face here!”

“He came after us-”

 _“You had your people slaughtering us!_ He was trying to protect his people from your hatred, he wanted peace, and you killed him!” Eithor screams, all the pain from Cyrilan’s death rising up again, as fresh as if it had just happened. Anaris was never the same after Cyrilan was taken from them. Cyrilan had been a quiet source of strength for all of them, comforting each and every person he came across who was suffering. Each Dun’himelan that was taken from them chipped away at his soul. He’d gone off in search of Elgar’nan and Mythal- against the wishes of the others in the council- in hopes of brokering peace. 

Elgar’nan was having none of that and attacked the moment Cyrilan had stepped into his domain. Mythal had been dragged into the fighting when it seemed Cyrilan may actually kill Elgar’nan, and that tipped the scales. Cyrilan lost his life, the Dun’himelan losing one of their beloved leaders, and everything was downhill from there. 

The only reason they tolerated Solas’ presence after that was because they were so tired of losing people, and from what they could gather, Solas hated the Evanuris as much as they did.

Flemeth still didn’t have any sort of remorse or guilty look on her face, sticking with her typical sharp smile that even now irritated Felicity. She had never been a massive fan of the woman in the game, though she had to begrudgingly admit she had her uses. With a determined expression, Felicity pushes away from Solas and wraps her arms around Eithor, the man’s magic growing ever stronger as his grief and fury overwhelmed him.

The sudden contact startles Eithor, and he looks down to see Felicity clinging to him, tears streaming down her face as well. Her spirit reaches out to him, leeching away as much of the grief as she could, clinging tighter as she feels her heart shattering to pieces again and again. 

“W-what are you…?”

“Flemeth, please leave. We will talk more when Morrigan joins us.”

“You think you can command me, child?” Irritation and a little bit of awe are in her tone as she glances down at the crying woman. 

“Your people have taken much from the Dun’himelan; I am not going to let you stand here acting like you hold none of the blame. Leave.” The tension in the air is palpable as Felicity turns to stare down the older woman. After a few more moments of silence, Flemeth vanishes as quickly as she had appeared. Once she’s gone, Felicity turns back to Eithor, her hands rising up to frame his face and brush away the tears. “I’m so sorry.”

With a shuddering sob, Eithor leans down, hugging her tightly as he starts to cry in earnest. 


	49. Chapter 49

“He is fine, da’ean,” Dáithí says as he sits down next to Felicity on the couch, unsurprised and unconcerned when she immediately leans into him.

“He’s pushing himself when he doesn’t have to.” She mumbles, her fidgeting fingers twisting and untwisting the edge of her soft shirt.

“There is no telling when- or even if- he will be allowed back to get his answers. He has to try and take as much in now as possible.”

“I’m pretty sure we can come back here; Daern’thal and Eithor don’t seem to have a problem with us. The other two, though, they definitely want us gone.” Milui and Geldauran never did drop the aggressive attitudes, though, after a few more confrontations, they avoided Felicity and the others as much as she avoided them.

“Better safe than sorry.”

“I know, I know…” Felicity shifts to the side so she could wrap her arms around him, sighing contentedly when Dáithí wraps his arm around her and hugs her in return. “You still holding up okay? Percy and Adaar are getting used to it, but they still wear themselves out too quickly.”

“I feel no different here than I do back in Skyhold. I was asked by Eithor what I was to reject the Fade as I do, but I didn’t have any answers he was looking for. I do not know how or why my family is the way that we are. I get the feeling he didn’t believe my answer, but he dropped the subject.”

“Felicity.” She turns around to Adaar, who called her name, a huge smile breaking across her expression when she sees what he’s carrying in hand. Her finished staff, all the little details finally in place. Dáithí and Adaar had been helping her refine the carvings she made, and in the downtime here, Adaar finally had a chance to finish it.

“Oh my god, it’s finally done!?”

“It is.” He passes the staff to her eager hands, Felicity gasping as she looks closer at the intricately carved wood. She had been proud of what she was able to accomplish, but looking at it now after they had refined her work, it was stunning!

“Thank you both so much! It’s so pretty!”

“Once you have the child and recover, we can start training with it.”

“I can training now-”

“No.” Both Adaar and Dáithí say in tandem, and Felicity just rolls her eyes.

“I’m not made of glass, you know,” Felicity mumbles, holding the staff closer to study it better, continuing to grumble under her breath when both men cast her dubious looks.

“Why are we talking about your glass-like fragility?” Percy saunters into the room, pausing for a moment at the door to whisper something to Panelan before plopping himself on the couch next to Felicity just in time for her elbow to find his ribs.

“I’m  _ not  _ that fragile, you guys. And you continue to insist that I am, I’ll have to find some way to prove you wrong.” The threat hangs in the air for a moment, a determined gleam in Felicity’s eyes as she dares them to push the subject. It takes only a moment of looking at her to know she wasn’t joking, and she would undoubtedly go find whatever Dun’himelan she could to rope into a sparring session just to prove them wrong.

They all quickly shift tactics, assuring her that they in no way thought she was fragile, Felicity satisfied by their change of tune. She passes Percy her staff, both of them now gushing over it.

They stayed with the Dun’himelan for close to another week before heading home through the portal Solas had gotten here through. Many of their questions had been answered, but many more still remained. Solas hardly slept those days, spending most of his time with Eithor studying the portals he’d created, the devices he’d made to hold the Veil back, and all other manner of studies that the man had been doing these thousands of years Solas had spent locked away in Uthenera. 

It was hard to say goodbye to Eithor and Daern’thal, especially when Gelauran kept making comments about how they should never return again. But as hard as it was, it was nice to finally be heading home. She had expected to get motion sick from the racing magic as they were teleported back to Solas’ hidden city. Still, any sort of discomfort is wiped away at the empty feeling that overwhelms her as they finally reach their destination. 

It was like the feel of having the wind knocked out of her, but it never went away. Solas was there supporting her the moment he felt the Veil stripping away the Fade from them. He’d gone through this loss before; his body wasn’t as affected by it. Felicity had never gone from Fade to no Fade, and it was not a pleasant transition.

“Shh, I have you, Felicity. Just take slow, deep breaths.”

“I- I don’t like it.”

“I know, I do not like it either.” For a few minutes, they all stand there getting their bearings. For Adaar and Percy, it wasn’t that bad to be returning to this section of Thedas, and Dáithí wasn’t affected in the least. Just as Felicity starts to feel like maybe she can function like usual again, something skitters across the floor and onto her foot.

With a shrill cry and a kick, Felasil is knocked across the room, and Felicity jumps into Solas’ arms. The man just heaves a sigh, not sure why he expected anything different. Felasil lets out a creaking whimper, moving closer before thinking better of it and moving back towards the wall.

“I told you she did not like spiders and that you look rather spider-like. You should not have startled her.” Another creek from the varterral and Solas looks at the creature in disbelief. “This is in no way  _ my  _ fault!” More insistent creaking, and Solas throws his hands into the air, not having to hold Felicity for her to remain with her feet off the ground. She was surprisingly strong when she wanted to be. “I should have changed your size  _ and  _ your shape?! How much time do you think I have on my hands to just start teaching you to shift?”

“Um, S-Solas?  ** What the fuck?” **

“Vhen’an, this creature is Felasil, a varterral- my varterral. He is the one who had been guarding my sword, and to a lesser extent, these ruins while I slept.”

“You named your pet varterral ‘idiot’?”

“A fitting name, believe me.” Solas huffs as Felicity climbs down back onto the ground. She stares at the small creature who, time and again, moves closer to her only to scurry back to the shadows. Just like that, any fear is forgotten, and she waddles forward to greet the little guy. He lets out a squeak as she suddenly approaches him, about to run away in earnest when she settles down onto her knees on the floor.

“Hello there, little guy.” Felicity slowly reaches out a hand for him to approach, and it takes only a moment of hesitation before Felasil is skittering across the floor and into her hand. “Oh boy, that’s gonna take some getting used to, but you’re pretty cute.” 

The screeching sounds it makes she takes as a good sign, Felasil scrambling up her arm to nudge her cheek with his little head. Solas grumbles something behind her, and Felicity cautiously glances over her shoulder to her husband.

“Can you understand him, Solas?”

“Unfortunately. He was given to me, bound to me, in a way at least. I understand him as easily as I do you.”

“What’s he saying?”

“...That I am a greedy monster for not sharing you sooner.”

~~~~~

_ “Claire, I still feel really guilty sending you there to be me. Is there anything you need me to do? Anything at all? P.s. We just got back to Skyhold with some new ideas about the Veil.” _

_ “We are doing just fine, Inquisitor. It’s taken some time to get into the thick of things here, but it seems we are close to getting to participate in the events you witnessed in your games. Even if we don’t get the official support of whoever will lead Orlais, we’ve made deals with a great many of the other players here. The Inquisition will want for nothing.” _

Felicity sighs in relief at Claire’s quick answer, even happier knowing that they should be leaving that hellhole soon. 

_ “We already want for nothing thanks to you and Josie and everyone else working your wonders with people.” _

_ “I did have a question about some notes I found. You had written something in the margins about judging a box?” _

_ “Oh yeah, that had to be one of the only ‘Sit in Judgment’ bits that I liked. Near the end- and I’m pretty sure I put this in there, but I can’t remember- but depending on your actions, you can capture Florianne peacefully, or you can end up fighting her. If you fight and subsequently kill her, the rotting remains are brought to Skyhold in a box for the Inquisitor to judge.” _

Felicity nearly falls over laughing when the only thing she gets back from Claire is a gagging sound.

_ “You gonna make it, Claire?” _

_ “That’s disgusting!” _ She manages to say before another gagging fit overtakes her. She could stomach a lot, but rotting corpses was not one of them. There’s a reason even now, she refuses to go anywhere near Crestwood.

_ “Yeah, the smell was even making Josie slip up-” _ That pushes Claire over the edge, and before she breaks the connection with Felicity, she can hear the young woman calling for a bucket. 

And though it would certainly be funny, Felicity was reasonably sure she wouldn’t have to worry about that particular outcome. Claire, disguised as Felicity, seemed to be playing the Game perfectly, much to a great many of the noble’s dismay. She was sure they were doing their best to make Claire stumble, to show them the savage elf they all believed her to be, but Felicity knew they would never get the satisfaction. No one she knew, save for maybe Josie, played The Game as effortlessly as Claire. 

Felicity was lucky that Claire did mind working with someone as hopeless as she was.

“Da’asha.” Panelan’s voice draws her from her quiet musings, and she looks up to see him poking his head in through the door. 

“Hmm?” 

“Morrigan has arrived early. Evidently, she saw no reason to continue her stay at the Winter Palace if the Inquisition was already expecting her to join in the fight against Corypheus. I… I do not like her.”

“Yeah, she’s not my favorite either. Neither is Flemeth, for that matter. They’re both just... I don’t know, I don’t wanna say that they’re self-centered, but that’s always kind of how I felt. They’ll help and shit, but only when it benefits them in some way. There is always a larger plan at work in the background, and that kinda shit always annoys me.” Panelan quietly nods, gently catching Felicity when she sways on her feet.

“Are you-”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! Just a little dizzy sometimes. Gimme your arm, and we’ll be set.” Panelan smiles and does as she orders, offering her an arm as they slowly make their way to the open sitting room Josie had set up in her little tower of Skyhold. As the Inquisitor was still technically in Orlais, Felicity had to remain hidden, not that she minded in the least. After the past couple of crazy months, this peace and quiet was a welcome blessing. 

“Solas was working with the mages again, trying to solidify a plan of action concerning the Veil. It won’t be long before it starts to completely fall in sections, especially in Orlais near the Western Approach. We sealed the rift, but irreparable damage was done to that section of the Veil and the surrounding areas. The same with the area surrounding where the Breach was.”

“You think it’s gonna fall before we defeat Coryphy-shit?” It amused Panelan endlessly that Felicity had picked up Sera’s habit of saying Corypheus’ name wrong.

“There is no way to be sure, but it is starting to look that way. I do not relish having to face him as well as the remaining Evanuris at the same time.”

“Solas said that back in the Western Approach, where Arlathan used to be, he could feel Elgar’nan’s power starting to break free. You don’t think he’d side with Corypheus in all this, do you?”

“No, though that doesn’t mean he will not try and use the darkspawn magister to his advantage.”

“Well, even if he does, we’ve got a pretty good thing going here. And we’ve got help from the remaining ancient elves and the people of this time. We’ll be fine.” She didn’t sound sure of her words, not that Panelan could blame her. There was no way this wasn’t going to be ugly.

“We will be, yes.” He gives her a little squeeze before opening the door for them. Morrigan was already standing there haughtily staring out one of the windows, and Felicity can’t help it when she heaves a heavy sigh. That’s what draws her attention to the pair walking in, and in a heartbeat, the same sharp smile Flemeth always wears is in place on Morrigan’s face.

“Well, well, well, how naughty of you to be playing hooky during these trying times. So who was it that is stuck impersonating you for all the nobles to see?” The whole day was quickly going downhill, and Felicity could feel a headache starting right at the base of her neck. “They must have drawn quite the short straw to be stuck playing the savage most in Orlais want dead, or at very least deposed.”

The quickly rising levels of stress from Felicity drew Solas’ attention away from his explanations and theories he was explaining to a handful of the more powerful mages the Inquisition had to offer. He was told by Panelan that she would be meeting with Morrigan, who had arrived a short time ago and was eager to get the ball rolling. That woman wanted the Well of Sorrows, and she wanted it badly. Felicity had told him of that particular questline, and he had to admit, he found it funny when she would inadvertently bind herself to her mother’s control. 

When there was a clap of thunder loud enough to shake the walls of Skyhold, the sound accompanied by the crackle of Felicity’s magic, Solas turned around and ran. He didn’t spare a word, not even a backward glance to those he abandoned in the hidden study he’d been using as of late as he raced towards where he felt Felicity’s rage burning ever brighter. 

He wasn’t the only one who went running at the sound of Felicity’s anger, Percy and Dáithí rounding corners as they all rushed towards the closed door. It slams open with a bit of magic from Solas just in time to see Adaar pulling Felicity back, Panelan standing in the soon empty space between Felicity and Morrigan. 

“It’s no wonder you had someone go to Orlais in your stead; this would never have passed there.” Morrigan tsk’s, trying to appear unruffled by Felicity’s reaction, but there were flickers of fear in her amber eyes, as there should be. 

“Goddamn it, Morrigan, why do you always have to piss people off? Just keep your mouth shut for once.” Percy snaps as he joins Panelan between Felicity and Morrigan, though he cranes his neck back to glance at his sister and make sure she is alright.

“Let go of me! She called my baby a parasite!” Felicity roars, her eyes burning white with her magic, though she had no plans of attacking Morrigan with it. She wanted to knock that arrogant smile off her face with her own two hands. 

“What else would you call something that feeds off another?”

“Oh, fuck you, Morrigan,” Percy growls, lunging for the woman only to have Panelan hold him back. “You don’t have to hold me back. There’s no reason _ I  _ can’t knock her onto her ass. She doesn’t get to come in here and start spewing shit like that and just get away with it!”

Solas heaves a sigh as everything keeps getting more and more out of hand. He quickly moves to take his screaming wife off of Adaar’s hands, quietly trying to calm her down, trusting Panelan to keep Percy from throwing any punches. Just when he thinks they might have a handle on this, Morrigan lets out a strangled cry.

All eyes turn towards where she is falling back onto one of the couches, Dáithí standing over her with a fierce scowl, his runed staff in hand and humming with power. 

“How have you- you are no Templar-”

“You will show respect towards the Inquisitor and her people while you are within these walls, or you will leave.”

“Who are you to-”

“Am I understood?” Morrigan was about to tell him exactly what she understood, but Felicity pulls away from Solas and lunges for the current object of her rage. Dáithí catches her before her fists connect with the woman.

“I was the one attacked.” She huffs, trying again to look aloof about everything happening around her and utterly failing. All the stories she heard of the Inquisitor and her people lead her to believe she was a soft little thing, young and naive. That was not the woman she was currently facing. 

“You haven’t been attacked yet, but if you continue to push, none of us here will be held responsible for the consequences of your actions.”

“Stop being reasonable! I owe her a few hits for all the shit she said to Ali and Ellie too!”

“Da’ean, you know as well as I that hitting her isn’t going to make you feel any better.”

“I certainly do not know that!” Still, Felicity tries to reach Morrigan, though all those watching can see the fight slowly draining out of her. Solas had been working on calming her spirit down through the bond, and it was finally reaching her mind. “I know you’re a bitch, but goddamn, that’s stepping across way too many lines. Maybe I should let you take the Well, it’d serve you right!” Felicity spits, finally still in Dáithí’s arms. When he lets go, Solas is there pulling her against his chest.

“You know of the Well?” This catches Morrigan’s attention in an instant. She had thought she was going to have to feed them hints to get them to head into the Arbor Wilds so she could get her hands on the Well, but maybe that wasn’t the case.

“I know all about the Well! Far more than you do, at any rate.” Felicity mumbles into Solas’ sweater, a different kind of anger welling up, this one directed at herself. She had to stop losing her cool like this. It wasn’t professional, first off, but it also kind of scared her how fast she would fly off the handle these days. Hormones or not, this wasn’t acceptable. “And I know how to read Elvhen, so you aren’t going to be able to lie to us this time around.”

“Come, there is no reason to get into all of this without everyone else present. Morrigan, I will send someone up to show you to your rooms.” In as commanding a tone as he has, Solas pins the woman with a stern glare, practically daring her to push the subject.

“I’ll show her. We’ve gotta catch up, after all.” Percy says with a smile far too sharp to be friendly. He and Panelan both take their leave, with Morrigan walking between them. Once the door shuts, everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

“I think maybe you should explain a little more about her now that she’s here, da’ean.” Dáithí pats Felicity’s back as she sits back down on the couch, Adaar handing her a cup of water as Solas seals the door to make sure Morrigan wouldn’t be making it back in here anytime soon. 

~~~~~

Solas had gone back to the mages, needing to finish teaching them all he could about the Veil before the time came to pull it down. Felicity sits in her rooms, sulking as she feeds Felasil little nibbles of her dinner. He was over the moon with the attention, scurrying back and forth across the table. He was amassing all the silverware in the small pile in an attempt to show Felicity how well he was able to guard precious things. She had quickly grown attached to the tiny Varterral, though he had to stay in a pocket or in the room for the most part. 

“I have never seen a Varterral so eager to please.” With a little yelp, she spins around to find the source of the voice. An elf stands there with a smirk on his face as he watches Felasil jump from the table to stand protectively in front of Felicity. He was still the size of an orange, so it wasn’t very intimidating, but the elf raises his hands anyways.

“Oh, you’re one of Solas’ people, right? He’s not here.” Felicity recognizes the ancient style of the men’s robes and connects the dots. It wasn’t the first time his people have come here looking for him; they just didn’t usually come when he wasn’t here.

“I know, I’m not looking for Solas. I came to meet you. I’ve been away on missions since the Inquisition was born- since he found a place here. I was eager to meet the woman who changed everything, but he’s not keen on sharing. He never has been.” The elf says with a laugh, pulling his hood down so Felicity could get a better look at him. Felasil must also have recognized him because a moment later, the Varterral huffs and climbs back onto the table to start dragging the last butter knife to his pile.

“Oh, you knew him before too?”

“Indeed.” Felicity takes a moment to study the elf, wondering how this amiable looking guy was friends with her gloomy egg. His hair was long and braided back, Mythal’s marks clear on his face, but his violet eyes soon snag her attention.

“You have lovely eyes.” She says before she can think better of it, slapping a hand over her mouth a moment later with a groan. The young man doesn’t seem to mind, his head falling back as he lets out a deep laugh. The ice is now broken by her earnest- if unexpected- compliment, and the man walks up to the table to take the open seat.

“Thank you. So do you.” 

“So, Solas doesn’t wanna share me, is that it?”

“He has always been a private man, that didn’t change when he awoke. I cannot blame him for wanting to keep his other half away from anything having to do with his past and the Evanuris.”

“Still, I think it’d be neat to meet his friends from before.” Felicity hums with a little shrug, taking another bite of one of the rolls before turning to the man and stretching a hand out to him. “Well, I’m Felicity, it’s nice to meet you…?”

“Felassan.” The man says with a smile, taking her hand in his and shaking it. He freezes when Felicity’s eyes go wide, and her mouth drops open. Suddenly she is standing, pulling him up as well, stepping close to study him even more.

“There’s no way! You’re supposed to be dead! How’re you not dead?! Did you get the passcode from Briala after all?!” Felassan slowly blinks, unable to think of what to say first. Solas had been right. Her knowledge of them was disconcerting when shoved in the face like this. 

“No, I didn’t.”

“Solas didn’t kill you?”

“He was supposed to  _ kill  _ me?”

“I mean, I don’t know. That’s just what he did when you didn’t get the passcode. I didn’t connect the dots that it was Solas who killed you until Cole mentioned something about Solas and his slow arrow, his agent and friend. Before that, in the story, it just said you were killed by some entity in the Fade. I was mad at Solas for a whole week because of that, not that he knew why. But you’re not dead!” Felicity happily squeals, wrapping her arms around Felassan and hugging him tightly.

“I would not kill a friend over a failed mission.” Solas huffs, having felt someone breaking past the wards in the room, once again leaving the mages he was meant to be teaching to investigate the intruder.

“Thank god! Solas, why didn’t you introduce us sooner?”

“I had no idea you wished to meet Felassan.”

“But you knew I wished to meet her!” Felassan teases, holding Felicity tight against him with a smirk. Solas just shrugs, trying to look unaffected and utterly failing. It was clear as day he wanted to race across the room and pull Felicity away, but it was also clear that Felicity had no intention of letting the man go anytime soon.

Sometimes Solas really wished his vhen’an wasn’t such a hugger.

“How did everything go in the Free Marches? Clan Lavellan survived?”

“Indeed. They should be stopping by for a visit in a few weeks. They are all anxious to see The Herald again.”

“And the remaining Eluvian there?”

“Activated and linked to the others. I don’t mind doing it now that I know you aren’t going to burn the world down.” Felassan says with a little laugh, though there was a serious note under it all. He had no trouble seeing the value in this world, even as changed as it was. When Solas awoke and felt differently on the subject, it was hard to choose which side he would support, though he was obviously leaning towards the people of this new version of the world. It was a relief to hear of Solas’ change of plans, to know that he would no longer have to try and fight against an old friend.

He owed the small woman currently in his arms an outstanding debt for changing Solas’ mind. 

“I heard Nellas and some of the others came for a meeting, one I wasn’t invited to. How’s he been holding up in those old ruins?”

“He is the same as he always was.”

“Far too serious for my taste.”

“Funny you should say that as you are talking to one of the most serious men I know.” Felicity giggles, the sound growing louder when she feels Solas’ irritation spiking through the bond. “I love you for it, but you have to admit you can be kind of doom and gloom sometimes. A lot of the time. Most of the time-”

“We get it.” Solas sighs, gently pinching her side as she lets go of Felassan and wraps her arms instead around him. 

It was going to be a long night, Solas just knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a shorter chapter this week. I'm not feeling so great, so sorry in advance if there is a delay with next week's chapter. :/


	50. Author's Note

Hey guys, I'm really sorry, but I don't have the chapter ready for this week. Between whatever stomach bug I had that knocked me out of commission all this last week and some unforeseen- and utterly unwelcome- family drama with my father, I haven't had much of a chance to do anything but stress myself out. With any luck, things should be calming down now, though there are no many more things on my 'to do' list... Being an adult is literally the worst, but I guess that's just life, huh?

I'll be back to posting chapters next week, Sunday the 28th, and I'm really sorry again for the delay. Thank you for all the well wishes; you guys really are too nice!! ^.^


	51. Chapter 51

Josie will never cease to amaze Felicity. Even while away, she arranges everything they would need for a suitable welcome home party, as well as get everything in place to receive Clan Lavellan. They are wrapping up their dealings with Orlais within a week, and after another week of travel, both Acacia and her clan should be arriving at the same time, maybe a day or two difference. 

People getting absolutely hammered fill the large, central room of the keep, Josie moving the throne out for the time being to make some more room for tables and guests. Felicity had hugged Claire for nearly ten minutes straight when she returned in one piece with more contracts and pledges from the Orlesian nobility than they had even hoped for. 

She watches from her seat as all her friends and family mingle and enjoy the night. Of course, she is not partaking in the drinking, but it’s nice to see them all letting loose. Percy and Panelan had long since left the main hall in search of a little more privacy. Felicity giggles into her cup as she watches Acacia lean up on her tippy toes to kiss Cullen’s cheek, the man blushing bright red in response but leans down to return the favor. 

They were so cute together; Felicity hoped that scene, where Acacia walked in on a meeting, would happen soon, and they could finally seal the deal and get the awkward flirting out of the way. 

She had one goal for tonight, which was to finally get Dorian to admit he wanted Bull. The latter was having a good time with his Charger’s near the edge of the room, not far from the door to the rotunda. On the other hand, Dorian was seated nearer to Felicity, sipping wine and looking sufficiently poised and elegant. But she saw his eyes flicker to Bull when his loud laughter echoed through the room or when he stood up to get another drink or more food. And for just a second before his eyes would flicker away, Felicity saw a spark of longing and of uncertainty.

“What’s up, lovely?” Felicity slides over a few seats so she can lean into Dorian. He glances down at her and lets out a long sigh, leaning into her as well, his cheek resting on the top of her head. “You should be enjoying yourself. That’s the point of a party.” He just hums, and it nearly breaks her heart seeing him all touch starved and depressed. She missed her flamboyant friend. 

“It is nothing, Felicity.”

“Riiiight, like I’ll believe that.” Felicity ponders for a moment what she can do to put some life back in his eyes, and suddenly an idea comes to mind. “Come on, let’s dance!” 

“Is that wise? You do remember I am from Tevinter, yes?”

“Can people from Tevinter not dance?” She wonders out loud, standing with a little groan, ignoring the pain in her back as she pulls Dorian up as well. Felicity was purposefully obtuse, they both knew it, and Dorian finally let a little smile dance across his features. 

“Quite the opposite, I only worry after your reputation. ...And catching your husband’s ire, I have no desire to have an ancient elven god visit me in the night for dancing with his wife.”

“Oh please, Solas and I both know I am not your type. And my reputation is of little concern when put up against the wellbeing of my friends.” Felicity pulls Dorian out onto the makeshift dance floor, people quickly clearing a path when they see it’s the Inquisitor trying to get through. The music gets a little louder, or maybe everyone watching gets a little quieter, but either way, Felicity was grateful. “Fair warning, I’m a terrible dancer.”

“Let us hope I’m good enough for the both of us.” People are whispering, but for the most part, those watching just smile as Dorian tries to lead a reasonably clumsy Felicity around to the beat.

A few minutes go by, and Felicity is huffing and puffing. She’d never been terribly in shape, and since she’d gotten pregnant, it only got worse as she was no longer allowed to train as she had been with Dáithí and Adaar. Dorian, for his part, looks a little concerned at her struggling to breathe without panting, but she just waves off his concern. 

“Yep, nope, that’s all I’ve got. Hey, Bull! Come dance with Dorian; I gotta sit down.” The large Qunari stands without question and quickly takes her spot next to the sputtering form of Dorian. Solas appears out of nowhere to help Felicity back to a chair, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

“I love you, Felicity, but subtly is not your strong suit.”

“I never claimed it was. But look!” Felicity glances back over her shoulder with a beaming smile. Dorian and Bull were still dancing; the large Qunari looked utterly relaxed as he held Dorian and moved around the empty space. And though Dorian’s face was nearly on fire, there was a pleased little grin that he couldn’t manage to smother completely. “Dorian just needed a push; they’ve been dancing around this for a while now- pun one hundred percent intended. Honestly, I should have done this months ago.”

Solas just shakes his head, leaning down to kiss her cheek. They take a detour when Acacia waves them over to meet the rest of her clan. There had been brief introductions with the Keeper when they had arrived, but Acacia had them quickly settle into their little section of Skyhold. She wanted them to enjoy the party they had set up, so the proper introduction waited until now. Solas still looked a bit unforgettable around the obviously Dalish clan, but he hid it well. 

They are in the middle of a hilarious story of Acacia trying to learn how to cast a barrier when suddenly Leliana is behind them, whispering something to Solas who’s whole body goes stiff. Felicity’s laughter is cut short when she feels his fear and fury for just a heartbeat before Solas silences the connection. But it was too late. The damage was done. 

Her head whips around, but Solas’ stoic mask was already in place. She looked to Leliana, but the woman was already hurrying away from them and towards the War Room.

“What’s going on?”

“It is nothing you need worry over, vhen’an. The Spymaster is already taking care of it.” Felicity stands, hands on her non-existent hips, and frowns down at where Solas still sits as stiff as a board.

“I didn’t ask if it was being taken care of; I asked what was going on.”

“This is a day for celebration. You should not have to-” Felicity rolls her eyes and waddles after Leliana. If Solas wasn’t going to answer her questions, she would. Hopefully. “Vhen’an!” Solas is quick to follow her, pleased to note Adaar moving closer to shadow her as well. 

“I’m not gonna sit and chill if shit’s going down.”

“Felicity, please, let me and the Spymaster handle this.” Solas takes hold of her wrist, pulling her closer in the long hallway between the main hall and the War Room. 

“Does it involve me?” Solas sighs but nods. There was no lying to her. They both knew that. “Then I deserve to know at least what’s going on. You coming?” He heaves another sigh as he nods, Felicity’s curiosity growing as she feels several heavy barriers wrap around her. Just who was waiting for them with Leliana?

Instead of heading to the War Room as she thought, Solas pulls her off to the side and through a small hidden passage. She was too concerned about what was happening to enjoy the secret passage like she usually would. When they end up in the cellars where they had set up holding cells and the like for prisoners, Felicity’s stomach sinks. 

Something was really not right.

“Inquisitor,” Leliana casually greets her as they step into the light, Felicity’s eyes immediately latching onto the man bound and gagged in the cell before her. 

“Hey, Leliana, what’s going on?” She turns to Felicity, a cold smile in place as she motions for her to come closer. There was no reason she could think of not to, but Solas quickly wraps an arm around her shoulders and holds her back. “Solas?” She looks up at him, but his eyes are locked on the man behind bars. “Alright, someone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Inquisitor, how much do you know of my spies?”

“...Not much? That’s your area of expertise, so I usually just let you handle it. As long as we aren’t killing people left and right.”

“What about Butler?” Felicity’s eyes go wide, and she turns to the man behind bars.

“Is that Butler? You didn’t kill him? I wasn’t sure, we were not on great terms back in Haven, and I couldn’t exactly probe about it without looking _super_ suspicious.”

“No, this is not Butler. This is Farrier.”

“But- but I thought Butler killed him, that’s why you wanted to get rid of him?”

“Butler helped him fake his death, it seems. Then he turned to some dangerous magic to permanently change his appearance to match one of my other agents. He then dealt with them- they are most likely dead- and took their spot.”

“Who’s he spying for?” Leliana gives Felicity a dry look, and she gasps. “Corphy-shit?! No way! Is that how he knew about my not being from here and everything?”

“It would seem so.”

“But he’s not the only one.”

“No. And now that we have him captured, the rest will likely be moving forward with any plans before we smoke them out.” The man’s eyes finally lift to Felicity, and she flinches at the pure hatred she finds there. “We will discuss it further tomorrow with the others, but you should be aware of what is happening, Inquisitor.”

“Adaar, if you could please take her back to the main hall? I have some questions for the rat.” And by questions, he did mean that he was going to root around in Farrier’s mind until he found all that he needed to know.

“...Are they going to try to kill me, do you think?”

“It is possible.” Leliana shrugs, eyes snapping to Farrier when he snorts out a laugh. “We will find out their plans, Inquisitor. Rest assured of that. Have a good rest of the evening.” Felicity and Solas share a look, and eventually, she turns around and walks back out with Adaar. She zones out as they climb back up the stairs, her mind running away with different possibilities for the future. It wasn’t the first time assassins had come after her, but that had always been out and about in the world, never in Skyhold. It scared her to think there were people here, in her home, working for Corypheus, trying to kill her and her family and friends.

Adaar freezes when Felicity reaches for his hand. He glances down at her, quickly noting her pale expression and wide eyes. With slow, measured movements he kneels down in front of her, so she has little choice but to meet his gaze. Not a word is spoken until her gaze finally flickers to his.

“All will be well, Felicity.”

“I don’t wanna die, but I don’t want anyone else getting hurt either.”

“I know. We will do everything we can to keep that from happening. Do you trust us?”

“Of course I do! You guys are the best.”

“Then all you need to do is keep doing what you’re doing and trust that we will take care of it.” She studies him for a few more moments before a shaky smile tugs at her lips.

“I don’t think you’ve ever said this much before.” Adaar grunt in response, standing back up, but he had a small smile on his face as well. “Yeah, that’s more like what I’m used to. I think I’m going to turn in early. I’ll just say goodnight to everyone quick and then head up.”

He nods, and they do just that. Felicity is happy to hear that Bull and Dorian had left not that long ago, Krem waggling his eyebrows suggestively and making her giggle. Acacia and Cullen are still sitting with her clan, all of them in the process of trying to teach the blushing Commander how to say ‘I love you’- among other things- in elvhen. Varric and Sera are causing a ruckus at the other end of the hall. A game of Wicked Grace is going on between anyone who felt like going up against one of the Inquisition’s finest rogues, Sera doing her best to mess up everyone as Varric plays. 

“It’s a good home you’ve made here, Felicity,” Adaar says quietly, taking in the cheerful atmosphere with a solemn nod as they finally make for the door.

“It is, but I hardly made it. I just show up and look pretty.” She giggles as she starts the long climb up to her chambers. Not even halfway there, she is leaning over, clutching the handrailing, huffing and puffing as she tries to keep going. “Fucking Solas and his fucking obsession with stairs… What was he thinking?!” An embarrassingly undignified squeak leaves Felicity as Adaar picks her up carefully. “Holy shit, this is so much higher than when Solas picks me up.”

Another grunt from Adaar is all she gets as he starts back up the stairs. Once her feet are safely back on the ground, she motions for him to lean down. With a quick kiss on his cheek, Felicity quietly thanks him before waddling into the room. 

He takes up his post outside the door, listening to Felicity quietly sing as she gets ready for bed. Another small smile breaks through the cracks of his mask. 

Adaar would never regret taking this potion.

~~~~~

The changes in the morning as she prepared for the long day ahead were not subtle. Though there was food brought up for her, she was not to eat a single bite. They had, of course, done all they could to ensure it wasn’t poisoned, but Solas wasn’t going to take any risks. He’d gotten back late, so furious that Corypheus had managed to work several of his people into the Inquisition, closer to its heart than he had thought possible. 

For a long while, he just paced the dark room, trying to regain control over his emotions. It would help no one for him to go and hunt these spies down and rip their hearts from their chests. Leliana would have questions for them all, and Felicity did so hate taking lives when it was not strictly necessary. There was no doubt in his mind that she would try and spare Farrier even though he is the reason Corypheus knows about her knowledge and so much more. 

When he finally crawls into bed, Felicity immediately wraps herself around him, curling into his arms with a grateful sigh. And as she softly snored, Solas felt all the rage and fury washing away. All that was left as he drifted off was a fierce love for Felicity and their child and an equally intense need to protect them from anything and everything that would wish them harm.

They share a quick meal that Felicity creates after Solas rids Thedas of any trace of the meal that had been brought up. She gets dressed, wearing some enchanted light mail under her typical sweater and trousers. Solas helps her with the footwraps, Felicity having been unable to do them properly after the baby started to grow in earnest. 

“It will all be okay, vhen’an,” Solas murmurs as he softly kisses her, his spirit enveloping hers in a steady warmth. 

“Were you able to find out the rest of the spies?”

“The ones Farrier knew of, yes. It will take time to sift through the memories of the others to ensure we are able to apprehend them all.”

“I hate that they got in here at all.”

“I know, Felicity, I know. Come, we must meet with the Advisors and discuss what we are going to do. Morrigan will be making an appearance. We need to finalize our plans in the Arbor Wilds and Mythal’s Temple. She visited me briefly in the Fade, Mythal, not Morrigan, and it seems she is reaching the end of her rope. Much of her power was used up bringing you and Percy across and making your bodies. She has been watching and waiting, and it seems like she is finally ready to pass on now that she knows justice will be brought to those who killed her.” Felicity sags in Solas’ arms, sighing heavily.

It was going to be such a long day.

“What is going to happen to the power she does still have?”

“I will absorb what remains so that Elgar’nan cannot take any of it that might make its way back to the Fade.”

“She’s not gonna possess you or anything, right?”

“No, there is not enough of Mythal left to do anything of the sort. Besides, I have a hard time believing that her will could overpower my own, especially now that I have so much to fight for.” He gives Felicity a gentle squeeze, a flicker of his spirit brushing against that of their child. A smile tugs at his lips when the crimson spirit presses back against him.

“I want Morrigan gone as soon as possible. She’s such a bitch.”

“You will hear no argument from anyone here, vhen’an. Come, we have kept the others waiting long enough.”

Adaar and Panelan are waiting outside the door, and they silently follow after the pair. Try as she might to act like nothing was wrong, Felicity found it hard to smile and chat with those she passed in the halls. She knew that most- probably all- were not spies, but even the chance that one of them might be ruined it for everyone else. 

Dorian and Bull are standing in the long hall between Josie’s office and the War Room, and Felicity is rushing into the mage’s arms the moment she sees him. She sniffles into his fancy shirt, trying not to sob as Bull gently pats her back.

“Pretty sneaky what you did last night, Boss.” Felicity pulls back enough to grin up at Bull with her tear-stained face. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t.” He laughs, stepping away to quietly talk with Adaar and Solas. Dorian quietly clears his throat to get Felicity’s attention back on him, and he cocks a brow at her attempt at an innocent smile. 

“If I were not so pleased, I would have a talk with you about your matchmaking abilities.” He whispers as he would rather die than admit to Bull how delighted he was at the shift in their relationship. 

“I told you eventually you’d find your own cuddle buddy.”

“More like eventually, you would shove me at him.” Dorian snickers as he rolls his eyes, willing to do just about anything if it got Felicity smiling again. He and Bull had both heard about Farrier, Bull immediately having left to speak with Leliana to try and find the rest of the snakes. So much was happening, too much for one lovely woman to handle, but that didn’t seem to stop the world from piling more onto her shoulders. Dorian could only do so much to help save the world, but when it came to keeping the woman at the center of all this sane, he could do so much more, and he planned on doing just that. 

“And I can tell you there wasn’t much cuddling last night,” Bull says with a smug smirk, Felicity busting out in a fit of giggles as Dorian’s cheeks nearly start on fire. 

Felicity is about to tease Dorian some more when Josie pokes her head out the door.

“We are ready whenever you are, Inquisitor.”’

“Yeah, sorry to keep you waiting, Josie. I’ll see you guys later. Try not to have too set too many curtains on fire while I’m gone.” Felicity leans up, kissing Dorian’s cheek with another giggle as he sputters, dashing over to Bull to give him a quick hug as well before stepping into the War Room. 

The amount of papers and notes covering the large table makes Felicity’s heart sink, but still, she waddles in, quietly greeting everyone before motioning for Josie to start. 

The first thing to be discussed was the issue with Corypheus and his spies. Solas explains how he is able, with magic and a great deal of concentration, to sift through their memories. Cullen looked a little green around the gills for a while after that, but he couldn’t deny that Solas’ abilities were undoubtedly a blessing right now. 

Leliana and her agents rounded up the spies that Farrier knew of, and Solas would spend much of today with them trying to finish finding all of the snakes hidden in their keep. 

Corypheus was finally making moves on Mythal’s Temple, though Solas’ agents had done what they could to wake the remaining Elvhen there and prepare them for a fight. They would not be caught unawares. Hopefully, that would give the Inquisition enough time to get there and put a stop to his plans. 

Bull had finally gotten word from his people about setting up an alliance with the Inquisition now that they had the support of Orlais. Felicity had spoken with Bull about it some time back, about how essentially he would have to choose who he would side with, the Qun or the Inquisition. She had been a little worried about it, but Bull said there wasn’t a choice, not really. He liked it here; he liked doing good work just because it was the right thing to do, and he loved his people. There was no way he would let them get killed for an alliance that was more a front than anything else. 

Acacia and Bull, along with Dorian, Varric, and Cassandra, would swing by the Storm Coast to meet with Gaat and let them know where Bull stood. It shouldn’t take long, no more than a few days, and then they would turn back and meet the rest of the Inquisition in the Wilds to push Corypheus’ forces back and deal with Samson. 

When Morrigan saunters in like she owns the place, it takes all of Felicity’s self-control not to send her careening out the window and down the mountainside with a well-aimed Unrelenting Force.

Felicity had told the others all about the Well and how it binds whoever drank it to Mythal who was inhabiting Flemeth. Leliana and Percy both found that endlessly hilarious, and after a short discussion, it was decided that Morrigan should indeed take that power. Solas wasn’t about to let Felicity take it- not that she wanted it- and though Acacia was willing, they managed to convince her that it was for the best that she remained free from an ancient god’s influence. 

The witch was surprised with how easily Felicity was letting her take the Well, having expected quite the opposite reaction from her after their last argument. And though Morrigan was suspicious, she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She would get what she wanted, and the Inquisition would strike a blow against Corypheus. Everyone walked away happy.

Once those plans are all set in place, Morrigan is excused. She seems a little shocked about the sudden dismissal, trying to pull the card that the Empress had sent her here as a magical advisor, and there was surely more she could help with in place of Solas, but she is quickly shot down by Josie with a smile.

“Feel free to send her to the Wilds sooner with the scouts. I don’t want her here for a single second longer than she needs to be.” Felicity mumbles as she leans on the War Table, glaring at all the paperwork still piles before her. “I have to send another message to Daern’thal to see if they came to a consensus on what they are willing and able to provide when we face the Evanuris. I don’t want any ill feelings towards them if they decide they want no part of this. They have lost enough to those assholes.”

“Of course, Inquisitor.” Josie smiles and continues to scribble something on her clipboard as she turns to Solas. “You had sent a note about having another guard for her?” Felicity turns to look curiously at Solas. This was the first she heard of this.

“Indeed. With Corypheus now within the walls and whatever remains of his agents, no doubt pushing forward with a plan to kill my vhen’an, I would like to have another of my people watching over her. Though he would mostly remain in the shadows, out of view from those who would strike a killing blow.”

“Which agent?”

“No one you have met, Spymaster. He, like Panelan and I, lived long ago. His name is Felassan. It was only a little bit ago that he made it to Skyhold after the missions I had sent him on.”

“Felassan is going to guard me?!” Excitement was clear on Felicity’s face, a beaming smile directed at Solas, who just sighs. 

“Indeed, though he will not be like Panelan and Adaar who you can speak with plainly. Felassan was always a talented mage, and he has developed a way of warping the Veil around him to hide him from most people’s sight.”

“I see no issues with extra protection, though I feel I speak for everyone when I say I would like to meet this new agent,” Leliana mutters, a jealous spark in her eyes. Oh, the things she could do if she, or any of her agents, had the ability to hide in plain sight like that. 

“He has been here the whole time since we stepped from our room,” Solas answers with a nod, his hands folded behind his back as Felassan appeared out of nowhere and gave a flourishing bow. 

“Oh my…” Josie mumbled, her quill stilling for a moment over the parchment. Felassan’s grin is smug, mischief dancing in his eyes as he stands back up.

“This’ll be so much fun!”

“Vhen’an, he is not here to help you get into trouble.” Solas sighs, rolling his eyes at Felassan’s low chuckle.

“Indeed, my dear Inquisitor, though I look forward to working with you.” He gives Felicity a quick hug that she is all too willing to return before turning to Panelan and Adaar. “It’s good to see you again, Panelan. I had wondered if you would return from across the sea.”

“My work here is not done.” Panelan gripes at the teasing jibe but holds out an arm for Felassan in greeting, a smile on his face. “I couldn’t let you and Solas have all the fun here.”

“Indeed. And you must be Adaar, a pleasure to meet you.” Felassan is genuine in his greeting, and though Adaar holds out a hand and nods, he doesn’t say a single word. Which, to be fair, is on par for him. “A man of few words, it would seem. Not to worry, I am sure I can talk enough for the both of us.”

He goes around the room for introductions, though they are for their sake, not his. Felassan already knows each person in this room down to what they like to eat for breakfast and where they could typically be found at any given time during the day.

The meeting continues on as normal after that, or as normal as it could be as Felicity is continuously leaning over to whisper to Felassan, both of them snickering back and forth. Solas can't help but heave another sigh and roll his eyes.

He already regretted asking Felassan to join Panelan in watching over his wife.


End file.
